Pediatric emergency care
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We studied 40 children aged four months to 18 years seen in the Emergency Department (ED) to determine the spectrum of human bites and the incidence of infection in treated and untreated wounds. Initial data concerning time elapsed until a physician examined the bite, site and size of the bite, whether the bite was infected when first seen, and whether antibiotics were prescribed, were obtained from the ED chart. Follow-up by phone or mail was available on 33 of the 40 children. ⋯ Of the three on oral antibiotics, two were subsequently admitted to the hospital. Conclusions. We came to the following conclusions at the end of the study. (1) The majority of human bites in children are superficial and do not become infected. (2) Antibiotics do not appear to be useful in prophylaxis for minor bite wounds seen shortly after injury. (3) Follow-up is necessary for all bite wounds, since serious infection may develop, or an established, seemingly minor infection may worsen.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 1985
Incidence of serious infection in infants under age two months with fever.
Infants less than eight weeks of age in a busy urban emergency department were prospectively reviewed during a six-month period, from October 1, 1981 to March 31, 1982. An axillary temperature of 37.8 degrees C or higher was arbitrarily defined as significantly elevated. A total of 1,655 young infants were seen during this time period, with 122 having temperatures of 37.8 degrees C or higher (7%). ⋯ The degree of temperature elevation was not proportional to the severity of the illness. Total white blood cell count was less than 4,000/mm3 in two of the bacteremic patients. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis was present in 13% of the patients undergoing lumbar puncture.