Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Jul 2006
Case ReportsHypocalcemic laryngospasm and tetany in a child with renal dysplasia.
Stridor is a common presenting sign of respiratory illness in the pediatric population-especially in the winter. Infrequently, tetany as a chief complaint may be seen with tetanus, seizures, and dystonic reactions to medications. ⋯ This is a case of a patient who presented to our emergency department in early winter with both stridor and tetany. The child was diagnosed with hypocalcemia resulting from a previously undiagnosed renal dysplasia and his symptoms resolved with the administration of IV calcium.
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Antidotal therapy can be lifesaving in the management of poisoned children. Although supportive care is sufficient in many cases, a specific antidote can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality in a number of poisoning scenarios, and so the pediatric emergency medicine practitioner must be familiar with its indications for use, dosage and administration, and contraindications. A number of new antidotes have emerged in recent years. This review discusses the pediatric uses and limitations of intravenous N-acetylcysteine, octreotide, crotaline Fab antivenom, fomepizole, atropine and pralidoxime autoinjectors and provides some brief discussion on newer antidotes for which data is only starting to emerge.