The current COVID-19 pandemic and known aerosolized transmission has triggered many ED process changes, including the discouragement of utilizing nebulizers to administer inhaled bronchodilators such as albuterol for concern of spread. Historically, both patients and providers preferred the use of nebulizers as they are easier to use and the belief was that they were more effective than meterd dose inhalers. However, evidence based data has consistently shown that for both adult and pediatric patients that when MDI's are used WITH a spacer:
Albuterol: 2.5 mg nebulizer solution = 3-5 MDI puffs
Albuterol: 5 mg nebulizer solution = 5-10 MDI puffs
Ipratropium: 0.25 mg nebulizer solution = 2 MDI puffs
Ipratropium: 0.5 mg nebulizer solution = 4 MDI puffs
A labial adhesion is defined as a thin avascular clear plane, a raphe, between the labia minora. These adhesions which can be caused by minor trauma or infection in the absence of estrogen can cause varying degrees of obstruction.
Acute appendicitis is the most common etiology requiring urgent abdominal surgery in children in the United States. Peak incidence occurs in the second decade of life, with male patients being more commonly affected than female patients. Classic manifestations of appendicitis occur in school-aged children and adolescents, but are often absent in younger children. Infants and young children <5 years are more likely to present with nonspecific or atypical findings, resulting in delays in diagnosis and higher rates of perforation.
Diagnosis is aided by clinical factors, lab findings, and ultrasound (+/- CT or MRI if ultrasound is equivocal).
Historically, the standard of care for acute appendicitis has been urgent operative management. However, in the past several years, there has been increasing literature supporting nonoperative management (antibiotics only) in adult patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis. Additionally, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of nonoperative management for uncomplicated appendicitis in children.
Hartford and Woodward provide a review of the current literature on the nonoperative management of uncomplicated appendicitis in children. They conclude:
- The majority of recent prospective studies demonstrate early treatment success (0-30 days) of approximately 90% in pediatric patients undergoing nonoperative management.
- Factors associated with failure of nonoperative management in pediatric appendicitis: longer duration of symptoms (>48 hours), younger age (<5 years), and presence of appendicolith.
- Nonoperative management has been associated with
o Lower healthcare costs at 1 year
o Fewer disability days at 1 year
o No significantly different rate of complicated appendicitis
- Most trials to date involve a 24-48 hour initial course of broad spectrum IV antibiotics followed by oral antibiotics for a total of >/= 7 days as nonoperative management. Currently, there is no consensus on antibiotic regimen.
Bottom Line: Given the current evidence, nonoperative management may be a viable treatment option for low risk pediatric patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. The literature is not conclusive, thus we as medical providers in conjunction with our surgical colleagues, should consider numerous factors when discussing treatment options for acute appendicitis with patients and their families.
- Urethral prolapse will appear as a protrusion of the distal urethra through the urinary meatus causing a “doughnut” sign.
- Risk factors include trauma, UTI, anatomical differences, and increased intraabdoiminal pressure from cough or constipation. There is a higher incidence in people of African descent.
- The chief complaint may include urethral mass and vaginal bleeding.
- There is a bimodal age distribution (prepuberty and postmetapause) due to a relative estrogen deficiency.
-Treatment is with estrogen cream and sitz baths for 4- 6 weeks.
Ingestion of a button battery is a can't-miss diagnosis with a very high risk for causing severe esophageal injury. There are about 3000 button battery ingestions per year, and this is increasing because electronics are becoming more and more prevalent.
Severe damage to the esophagus occurs within 2 hours. On your lateral view, the end with narrowing is the negative end, which triggers a hydrolysis reaction that results in an alkaline caustic injury and, ultimately, liquefactive necrosis.
Children can present with nonspecific symptoms and if the ingestion was not witnessed, they are at high risk for delays in diagnosis. Additionally, in the community setting, there can be further delays in definitive treatment (endoscopic removal) due to difficulty in calling teams in or transporting to other facilities.
Anfang et al. looked into ways to mitigate damage to esophageal tissue. They did an in vitro study on porcine esophageal tissue, measuring the pH with different substances applied. They tried apple juice, orange juice, gatorade, powerade, pure honey, pure maple syrup, and carafate. They then repeated the study in vivo on piglets with button batteries left in the esophagus and ultimately did gross and histological examination of the esophageal tissue.
Honey and carafate demonstrated protective effects both in vitro and in vivo. They neutralized pH changes, decreased full-thickness esophageal injury, and decreased outward extension of injury into deep muscle.
Take Home Point: If a child is found to have a button battery in the esophagus, while definitive management is still emergent endoscopic removal, early and frequent ingestion of honey (outside of the hospital) and Carafate (in the hospital) may help reduce the damage done to the tissue in the interim. The authors recommend 10ml every 10 minutes.
Definition: Congenital anomaly where the hymen is completely obstructing the vaginal opening
Demographic: Incidence 0.05-0.1% of females
History: Most are asymptomatic and diagnosed on physical exam or incidentally when there is lack of menarche. Symptoms in adolescents can include: Abdominal pain (50%), urinary retention (20%), abnormal menstruation (14%), dysuria (10%), frequency, renal failure, UTI and back pain.
Physical exam: bulging, blueish hymenal membrane
Complications: Late detection can lead to infections, fertility problems, endometriosis, hydronephrosis, and rarely renal failure
ED treatment: If abdominal pain is significant or there is urinary obstruction, a urinary foley can be placed. GYN should be consulted.
Definitive treatment: Hymenectomy, hymenotomy, carbon dioxide laser treatments or foley insertion through the hymen (done by a specialist).
There is no well validated clinical decision rule similar to NEXUS or the Canadian Cervical Spine rule in children for clearing the cervical spine. Clinical clearance versus imaging first is a complicated decision. Certain risk factors may predispose children to injury and should be taken into account when deciding about clinical clearance versus imaging (XR).
High Risk Criteria for Cervical Spine Injury in Pediatrics
| Mechanism
| High risk MVC Intrusion > 12 inches at the occupant site Intrusion > 18 inches at any site Partial or complete ejection Death in the same passenger compartment Vehicle telemetry consistent with high speed Fall > 10 feet Nonaccidental trauma Diving injury |
| History
| Down’s Syndrome 22.q11.2 deletion Klippel-Fiel syndrome |
| Physical Exam
| Altered mental status Intoxication Hypotension Focal neurological exam Neck pain Torticollis |
Every year, numerous children die of non-exertional heatstroke after being left in motor vehicles in the United States. Per data obtained from the national nonprofit KidsAndCars.org, the average number of pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths is 39 per year since 1990. In 2018, this number peaked at 54 pediatric deaths. Prior studies show that the interior temperature of a closed vehicle rises quickly within minutes of closing the doors and windows. This rapid change occurs even on days with cooler ambient temperatures (20s °C/70s °F): the interior temperature of a car may still reach 117F within an hour.
Children, particularly infants and toddlers, are at increased risk for heat illness due to several physiologic and developmental factors:
- Unable to escape hot environments or to self-hydrate
- Lack mature thermoregulatory systems
o Have lower rate of sweat production than adults
- Have higher basal metabolic rates than adults
- Have higher body surface area:mass ratio --> absorb heat faster in hot environments
Bottom line: ED providers can be instrumental in giving anticipatory guidance on vehicular heatstroke in children during the warmer seasons:
- Educate caregivers to “Look before you Lock”
- Suggest that the caregiver place a valuable object (phone, employee badge, handbag) in the back seat when traveling with a child
- Remind caregiver of the dangers of intentionally leaving a child in the car for any reason, even during cooler spring/summer days.
2007031141_Hammett._Pediatric_Heatstroke_Fatalities_Caused_by_Being_Left_in_Cars.pdf (581 Kb)
NHTSA recommends that car seats be replaced following a moderate or severe crash. Car seats do not automatically need to be replaced following a minor crash.
A minor crash is one in which ALL of the following apply:
-The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
-The vehicle door nearest the car seat was not damaged.
-None of the passengers in the vehicle sustained any injuries in the crash.
-If the vehicle has air bags, the air bags did not deploy during the crash
-There is no visible damage to the car seat.
NEVER use a car seat that has been involved in a moderate to severe crash. Always follow manufacturer's instructions.
The leading cause of death in the US for those aged 16 to 24 years is motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Teen drivers are more likely than any other age group to be involved in an MVC that result in injury or fatality. Texting while driving, nighttime driving, inexperienced driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may play a role in these collisions.
Can anticipatory guidance related to safe driving be done in the ED? YES!
This study implemented a toolkit that contained a copy of the driving law, a sample parent-teen driving contract and statistics on teen driving injuries. Post toolkit questionnaires showed that both teens and their guardians learned new information.
Bottom line: Engage in anticipatory guidance in the ED with teens and their parents about seatbelt use, the dangers of driving under the influence and local driving laws.
A 15 y.o. female presents to your emergency department with sudden onset hip pain after winding up to kick a soccer ball during her game today. You see a well-developed female in obvious discomfort, with tenderness to palpation over her lateral hip and pain with passive ROM at the hip. You obtain this x-ray. What is your diagnosis?
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is the second most common ambulatory surgery performed in the US. Children younger than 3 years, children with craniofacial disorders or sleep apnea are typically admitted overnight as studies have shown an increase rate of airway or respiratory complications in this population.
The most common late complications include bleeding and dehydration. Other complications include nausea, respiratory issues and pain.
Post-operatively, the overall 30-day emergency department return rate is up to 13.3%. Children ages 2 and younger were more likely to present to the ED. There is significantly higher risk of dehydration for children under 4 years. Children over the age of 6 had significantly higher bleeding risk and need for reoperation for hemorrhage control.
Urinary retention in pediatrics is defined as the inability to void for more than 12 hours in the presence of a palpable bladder or a urine volume greater than expected for age.
Maximum urine volume calculation for age: (age in years + 2) x 30ml.
Causes of urinary retention include mechanical obstruction, infection, fecal impaction, neurological disorders, gynecological disorders and behavioral problems.
The distribution is bimodal occurring between 3 and 5 years and 10 to 13 years.
Antibiotic stewardship has led various organizations such as the AAP, AAFP, and IDSA to introduce two different approaches to the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM):
Immediate treatment with antibiotics should always include the following patients:
The observation approach can be considered in the following very slect patient group:
Often the issue with pediatric AOM isn't necessarily the overprescribing of antibiotics, but the inaccurate/inappropriate over diagnosis of acute otitis media. An erythematous tympanic membrane does not equal AOM. Crying and fever can result in a red TM. Fluid seen behind the TM, is often just serous otitis media, which isn't AOM.
When antibiotics are warranted, first-line treatment is with high dose amoxicillin, 90 mg/kg per day divided into two doses; unless the child has received beta-lactam antibiotics in the previous 90 days and/or also has puruent conjunctivitis mandating amoxicillin-clavulanate instead. In the later case, prescribing the Augment ES, 600 mg/5mL formlation with a lower clavulanic concentration lessening GI upset and diarrhea is prefered.
Streptococcal pharyngitis is common in the pediatric population however in children younger than 3 years, group A streptococcus (GAS) is a rare cause of sore throat and sequela including acute rheumatic fever are very rare. Inappropriate testing leads to increased healthcare and unnecessary exposure to antibiotics.
The national guidelines published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America do NOT recommend GAS testing in children less than the age of 3 years unless the patient meets clinical criteria and has a home contact with documented GAS.
