Paediatrics - Resp and cardio (3) Flashcards
Whooping cough is caused by which organism?
Bordetella pertussis
Clinical features of whooping cough
- Week of coryza
- Paraoxysmal cough followed by inspiratory whoop (in infants this can present as apnoea)
- Cough worse at night
- Can cause vomiting
- Child goes blue or red in the face
- Epistaxis or subconjunctival haemorrhages
How long does the paraoxysmal coughing last in whooping cough?
Up to 3 months
Complications of whooping cough
- Pneumonia
- Seizures
- Bronchiecstasis
Diagnosis of whooping cough?
Pernasal swab culture or PCR
Blood results in whooping cough
Increased lymphocytes
What is the potential treatment for whooping cough and why isn’t it used in children with the cough?
Macrolide antibiotics
Not used because only effective if started during catarrhal phase
Close contacts of children with whooping cough are given what prophylaxis?
Macrolide antibiotics
Unvaccinated children should be vaccinated
Before what age is whooping cough particularly dangerous?
Before 4 months when completed primary vaccinations
Who is immunised against whooping cough?
Children (from 2 months)
and pregnant mothers from 16 weeks
What is defined as a persistent cough?
Lasting longer than 8 weeks or no improvement after 3-4 in the absence of recurrent URTI
Causes of a persistent/ recurrent cough
- TB
- Lobar collapse
- Bacterial bronchitis
- Suppurative lung disease (CF)
- Asthma
- GORD
- Aspiration of feeds (cerebral palsy)
- Inhaled foreign body
- Parental smoking
Most common causes of pneumonia in newborn?
Group B strep
Gram-negative enterococci
Most common causes of pneumonia in infants and young children?
RSV and other resp viruses
Strep pneumoniae
H. influenzae
Children over 5 - most common causes of pneumonia?
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Strep pneumoniae
Chlamydia pneumoniae
What should always be considered as a causative organism of pneumonia in all children?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Common presenting symptoms of a child with pneumonia?
- Cough
- Fever
- Rapid breathing
Generally preceded by URTI
Can also have poor feeding, lethargy and an unwell child
O/E how does a child with pneumonia present?
Tachypnoea
Nasal flaring
Chest indrawing
Signs of consolidation: dullness on percussion, decreased breath sounds, bronchial breathing over affected area ARE OFTEN ABSENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN
What is the most sensitive clinical sign of pneumonia?
Increased resp rate
How would you investigate pneumonia?
- CXR
- Nasopharyngeal aspirate may identify viral causes
- Bloods (FBC, CRP, ESR) - won’t help differentiate between viral and bacterial
If child has pneumonia associated with a pleural effusion, what is seen on CXR?
Blunting of the costophrenic angle
Indications for admission of a child with pneumonia?
- Oxygen sats <92%
- Recurrent apnoea
- Grunting/ inability to maintain adequate fluid or food intake