Pneumonia is an acute lower respiratory tract infection of the lungs. It is characterised by fast breathing and chest indrawing in children. It is still the leading killer of children worldwide, 29% of pediatric deaths worldwide, 158 million cases per…
Bronchiolitis is an infectious inflammation of the bronchioles. It is primarily a disease of the very young – 95% of cases occur in children < 2 years old. It is almost always viral in origin, most commonly caused by the…
Overview Causes of upper airway diseases in children Condition Pathogen Laryngitis Viruses, Corynebacterium diphtheria, in non-vaccinated individuals Croup (Laryngotracheobronchitis) Parainfluenza virus Spasmodic croup Several viruses and allergic causes Epiglottitis Haemophilus influenzae Type B; Gram-positive bacteria Bacterial tracheitis Staphylococcus aureus Foreign…
Rickets Rickets is a serious condition that is due to impaired bone mineralization before epiphyseal closure. It is caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, calcium, or phosphorus, and mainly manifests as skeletal malformations. It peaks between 6 and 15…
Overview Failure to thrive is characterized by insufficient weight gain or inappropriate growth at the expected rate given a child’s age. It is currently defined as a weight-for-age below the fifth percentile on a standardized age-based growth chart, a decrease…
Malnutrition is defined as a lack of macronutrients (calories) OR a lack of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Here, we will consider undernutrition in terms of inadequate consumption of macronutrients. Anthropometric indices Indices Description Weight for age (W/A) This is used…
Summary of important social milestones Age Milestones 1 month old Prefers human faces, reacts to voice, and establishes eye contact 2 months old Social smile 4 months old Sustained social smile, laughs 6 months old Prefers caretaker, stranger anxiety starts…
Summary of important motor milestones Age Milestones 1 month old Raise their head off the table 2 months old Holds their head steady while sitting on the lap 4 months old Lifts head above plane; grasp objects; 2x birthweight 6…
Overview Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest refers to the sudden loss of pulse, drop in blood pressure, and loss of perfusion. Death results in 5 minutes without proper resuscitation (but brain damage results earlier than this). This is a medical emergency.…
Cardiogenic pulmonary oedema is fluid accumulation in the alveoli and lung interstitium due to heart failure. It is characterized by increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP > 10 mmHg) secondary to ineffective lung filling or pumping. Classification of pulmonary oedema…