Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2009
Multicenter StudyReferral and resource use patterns for psychiatric-related visits to pediatric emergency departments.
To describe the patterns of referral and use of resources for patients with psychiatric-related visits presenting to pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in a pediatric research network. ⋯ Children with psychiatric-related visits seem to require substantial ED resources. Interventions are needed to reduce the burden on the ED by increasing the linkage to mental health services, particularly for suicidal youths.
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2009
Comparative StudyParental knowledge and perceptions of fever in children and fever management practices: differences between parents of children with and without a history of febrile seizures.
The aim of this study was to compare maternal knowledge and perceptions of fever, fever management practices, and information sources of mothers of children with and without a history of febrile seizures. ⋯ Mothers of children with a history of febrile seizures demonstrated a higher rate of accuracy in their knowledge of fever than those in the other group. Mothers of children with a history of febrile seizures used personal communication, whereas those in the other group relied on mass communication for health information. Providing accurate information to family members is essential to provide mothers with both accurate information and emotional support.
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2009
What brings newborns to the emergency department?: a 1-year study.
Characterization of newborn visits to the pediatric emergency department (PED). Analysis of the main illnesses and establishment of association between certain conditions and severity of diseases. ⋯ Most PED visits were because of nonserious diseases, mainly because of insufficient caretaker knowledge and information. This highlights the great need for caretakers' education by health staff. It is also important that physicians are aware of the main illnesses in the newborn period and know how to correctly identify the conditions associated to serious pathology.
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2009
Management of occult fractures in the skeletally immature patient: cost analysis of implementing a limited trauma magnetic resonance imaging protocol.
Fractures in children may not be visible in the result of initial radiography, and undertreatment and overtreatment of such fractures routinely occur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential cost of implementing limited magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at initial encounter, when radiographs are unrevealing. ⋯ Based on clinical grounds and initially negative radiographic results, slightly more than half of patients without fractures can be overtreated, and nearly one third of patients with fractures can be undertreated. Instituting a protocol that includes limited trauma MRI lowers the total cost of care without increasing direct cost, and appropriate care may be instituted at the outset.