Pediatric emergency care
-
Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2006
Preparedness of selected pediatric offices to respond to critical emergencies in children.
To determine the preparedness of pediatric offices that had activated emergency medical services (EMS) for a critically ill child requiring airway management. ⋯ Even after treating a critically ill child who required advanced cardiac and/or pulmonary support, offices were ill prepared to handle another serious pediatric illness or injury.
-
Antidotes are playing an increasing role in therapy for pediatric poisonings. Although initial response to all pediatric poisonings begins with basic stabilization, knowledge of specific antidotes, their mechanisms of action, safety profile in pediatrics, and dosing regimens can be life-saving for pediatric victims of nerve gas exposure, acetaminophen toxicity, methanol and ethylene glycol ingestion, and snakebites. This article presents an overview of the pathophysiology, symptoms, antidotes, and emergency management of these toxicological emergencies.
-
Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2006
Children in taxis: an opportunity for pediatricians and emergency physicians to save lives?
Child safety devices (infant seats, booster seats, and seat belts) are effective in curbing the risk of injury; however, there remains a pattern of parental nonuse or misuse of safety seats. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and compliance of parents with children presenting for emergency care of the National Highway and Traffic Association safety seat guidelines in private cars and taxicabs. ⋯ Data from this survey show that use of safety seats is lower in taxis than in private automobiles and that this is attributable to the inconvenience of carrying these seats to and from the taxi rather than financial considerations or lack of knowledge about their effectiveness. Strategies should be sought to increase availability of child safety devices in taxicabs. The emergency department, as well as the pediatrician's office or clinic, can be a locus for an educational intervention to parents and caregivers on child passenger safety.