Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 1997
Aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of bacterial tracheitis in children.
Establish the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of bacterial tracheitis in children. ⋯ These data confirm the predominance of S. aureus and H. influenzae in causing bacterial tracheitis in children and suggest a potential role for anaerobic bacteria.
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 1996
Comparative StudyThe need for pediatric-specific triage criteria: results from the Florida Trauma Triage Study.
The objective of the Florida Trauma Triage Study was to assess the performance of state-adopted field triage criteria. The study addressed three specific age groups: pediatric (age < 15 years), adult (age 15-54 years), and geriatric (age 55+ years). Since 1990, Florida has used a uniform set of eight triage criteria, known as the trauma scorecard, for triaging adult trauma patients to state-approved trauma centers. However, only five of the criteria are recommended for use with pediatric patients. This article presents the findings regarding the performance of the scorecard when applied to a pediatric population. ⋯ Although the state-adopted trauma scorecard, applied to a pediatric population, produced acceptable overtriage, it did not produce acceptable undertriage. However, our undertriage rate is comparable to the results of other published studies on pediatric trauma. As a result of the Florida Trauma Triage Study, a new pediatric triage instrument was developed. It is currently being field-tested.
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Owing to recent emphasis upon the benefits of effective pain management, parents and health care providers expect infants and children to receive safe, effective sedation and analgesia for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The Committee on Drugs of the American Academy of Pediatrics has addressed the issue of safety in its recently revised guidelines for monitoring and management of patients undergoing sedation for procedures. Patients undergoing emergency procedures present additional problems because of the limited opportunity to optimally prepare patients and families. ⋯ New formulations of local and topical anesthetics have enhanced their efficacy and reduced pain associated with administration. Innovations in the administration of sedatives and analgesics, as well as antagonists, have enhanced both efficacy and safety. This article reviews recommended guidelines for monitoring and management of patients undergoing sedation for minor procedures and discusses various sedative, analgesic, and anesthetic alternatives available to clinicians.