Paediatrics (Geeky Medics) Flashcards
How does infantile colic present in a child?
- Inconsolable crying (high-pitched)
- Facial redness
- Knees drawing up to chest
- Passing wind
What is the management of colic?
Parental reassurance
How does intussusception present in a child?
- Preceding viral illness
- reoccurrence of colicky abdominal pain
- associated crying
- bilious vomiting
- red currant jelly stools
- palpable sausage shaped mass in right upper quadrant
- irritable
What age does intussusception present?
6 months - 2 years
Is intussusception associated with concurrent viral illness?
Yes
What is the initial investigation to diagnose intussusception?
Ultrasound
When is surgical resection required to manage intussusception?
If the bowel becomes gangrenous
How is intussusception managed?
Therapeutic enemas
What is volvulus?
Twisted bowel - bowel twists around itself and the mesentery it is attached too
How does volvulus present?
V = vomiting
- Green bilious vomiting
- Abdominal distention
- Abdominal pain
- Absolute constipation and no wind
What does sigmoid volvulus look like on an abdominal x-ray?
Coffee bean shape
What is the gold standard to diagnose volvulus?
Contrast CT scan
How is a sigmoid volvulus managed?
think of scopy
endoscopic decompression
List some symptoms of problematic GORD in babies
- chronic cough
- distress after feeding
- reluctance to feed
- poor weight gain
- pneumonia (aspiration)
How can a parent simply manage GORD in a baby?
- Small frequent meals
- No over feeding
- Burping regularly
- keep baby upright after feeding
How can GORD in babies be medically managed?
similar to adults
- Gaviscon
- Omeprazole
How does acute otitis media present in young children?
- Tugging of ear / behaviour change
- Fever / coryzal symptoms
- Crying / irritable
- sleeping poorly
- discharge if TM perforated
What normally precedes otitis media in children and why?
viral URTI due to the bacteria travelling from the throat, through the eustachian tube to the ear
What is the most common bacteria to cause otitis media in children?
Strep pneumoniae
What does the TM look like in otitis media?
3 marks
- Bulging
- Red
- Inflamed
What does severe otitis media in children do to the TM?
Pressure can cause the TM to rupture and leak discharge
What is the management of most cases of otitis media?
- Resolves within 3 days / week without antibiotics
- Simple analgesia
In what cases would you consider prescribing antibiotics for otitis media?
- co-morbidities
- unwell / immunocompromised
- bilateral in child <2
What is the first line abx for otitis media?
Amoxicillin 5 days
What is glue ear and how does it differ to normal otitis media?
Otitis media with effusion where the middle ear becomes full of fluid, causing loss of hearing
What are the findings of glue ear when looking down an otoscope?
- Dull TM
- air bubbles
- visible fluid level
How long does it normally take glue ear to resolve by itself without treatment?
3 months
What management may children with co-morbidities require with glue ear?
Grommets
Name 2 risk factors that can increase the risk of getting otitis externa?
- “Swimmers ear”
- Trauma (ear plugs)
What can pre-dispose a patient to having otitis externa?
Recent fungal/bacterial infection needing the use of antibiotics as the abx kills the good bacteria
What two bacteria cause otitis externa?
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Staph aureus
Why is p.aeruginosa difficult to treat in children with cystic fibrosis?
It colonizes the lungs and is naturally resistant to many antibiotics
What can moderate otitis externa be managed with?
Otomize ear spray - topical antibiotic and steriod
includes Neomycin, dexamethasone and acetic acid
What is cholesteatoma?
Abnormal collection of squamous cells in the middle ear
How does cholesteatoma present? (2 marks)
- Prolonged foul discharge over weeks from affected ear
- Unilateral conductive hearing loss
What type of imaging is useful to determine the diagnosis of cholesteatoma?
CT Head
How is cholesteatoma managed?
Surgical removal
What is rheumatic fever?
Auto-immune condition when the body starts to attack the cells in the tissue after a streptococcal infection
What organs does rheumatic fever affect? (4)
- Heart
- Joints
- Skin
- Nervous system
How long after a strep infection (tonsillitis) does rheumatic fever start?
2-4 weeks later
Mrs JONES had FEAR that she had rheumatic fever
How is a diagnosis of rheumatic fever made alongside evidence of a recent strep infection?
JONES (major) FEAR (minor)
J - Joint arthritis (migratory) O - Organ inflammation N - Nodules E - Erythema marginatum rash S - sydenham chorea (uncontrolled rapid limb movements)
F - Fever
E - ECG changes (prolonged PR interval)
A - Arthralgia without arthritis
R - raised inflammatory markers
How can rheumatic fever affect the heart?
- Tachy/Brady
- Murmurs
- Pericardial rub
- Heart failure
How does rheumatic fever cause changes to the tongue?
Strawberry tongue
What bacteria typically causes rheumatic fever?
Group A beta haemolytic streptococcal (strep pyogenes)
What investigation can you do to help determine the causative bacteria in rheumatic fever?
Throat swab