Week 9 Flashcards
Variations in Pediatric Anatomy and Physiology first 3-4 weeks’ gestation
Infection, trauma, teratogens, and malnutrition can cause physical defects and may affect normal CNS development
Variations in Pediatric Anatomy and Physiology: birth
Cranial bones not well developed or fused: increased risk for fracture
Brain is highly vascular: increased risk for hemorrhage
Variations in Pediatric Anatomy and Physiology: child
Spine is mobile: high risk for cervical spine injury
clinical manifestations for Infant with ^ICP
Irritability, poor feeding
Macewen sign
High-pitched cry,
bulging fontanels
Separated cranial sutures
Sunsetting sign
Distended scalp veins
Increased frontooccipital circumference
clinical manifestations for child with ^ICP
Headache
Forceful vomiting
Seizures
blurred vision
drowsiness
increased sleep
Lethargy
Inability to follow simple commands
late signs of ^ ICP
Bradycardia
Decreased motor response to command; decreased sensory response to painful stimuli
Alterations in pupil size and reactivity
Cheyne -Stokes respirations
Decreased consciousness
Coma
Respiratory Care
Airway management is the primary concern.
Cerebral hypoxia lasting more than 4 minutes may cause irreversible brain damage.
The child may have minimal gag and cough reflexes.
Hydrocephalus Infancy (early)
Abnormally rapid head growth
Bulging fontanels (especially anterior)
Nonpulsatile
Dilated scalp veins
Separated sutures
Macewen sign
Thinning of skull bones
Hydrocephalus Infancy (General)
Irritability
Lethargy
Early infantile reflex acts may persist
Normally expected responses failing to appear
Change in level of consciousness
Opisthotonos (often extreme)
Lower extremity spasticity
Vomiting
Advanced cases: Difficulty in sucking and feeding Shrill, brief, high-pitched cry
Cardiopulmonary compromise
Hydrocephalus Infancy (Later)
Frontal enlargement, or bossing
Depressed eyes
Setting-sun sign (sclera visible above the iris)
Pupils sluggish, with unequal response to light
Hydrocephalus Childhood
Headache on awakening
Papilledema
Strabismus
Irritability
Lethargy
Apathy
Confusion
Incoherence
Vomiting
Shunt Treatment for Hydrocephalus
Period of greatest risk is 1 to 2 months after placement
Infections:
Septicemia
Bacterial endocarditis
Wound infection
Shunt nephritis
Meningitis
Ventriculitis
Antibiotics or shunt removal
Seizure Disorders
Caused by excessive and disorderly neuronal discharges in the brain
Determined by site of origin
Most common treatable neurological disorder in children
Occur with wide variety of CNS conditions
Epilepsy
Two or more unprovoked seizures
Caused by a variety of pathological processes in the brain
Optimal treatment and prognosis require an accurate diagnosis and determination of cause.
Etiology of Seizures
Acute symptomatic
Associated with head trauma or meningitis
Remote symptomatic
Prior brain injury such as encephalitis, meningitis, or stroke
Cryptogenic
No clear cause
Idiopathic
Genetic in origin
Partial Seizures
Local onset and involves a relatively small location of the brain