Current opinion in pediatrics
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Sickle cell disease is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases, affecting 1 in 600 African-Americans. The lung is one of the major organs affected in sickle cell disease and the pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease result in significant morbidity and mortality in children. ⋯ The pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease include airway hyperreactivity, acute chest syndrome, chronic sickle lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, and sleep disordered breathing. Further understanding of the interrelationships between these disorders will lead to improved therapies.
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Curr. Opin. Pediatr. · Jun 2008
ReviewEmergency department treatment of primary headaches in children and adolescents.
Headaches in children and adolescents are common presenting complaints in emergency departments. There is wide variation among acute treatments. We sought to review options for acute emergency department management and the recent evidence supporting their use. ⋯ Further research is needed on therapies targeted toward children and adolescents with headache subtypes other than migraine, including those without a previous diagnosis. While little evidence exists, most authors agree with an initial trial of ibuprofen followed by sumatriptan nasal spray for children over 12 years of age for those with persistent symptoms. Antiemetics remain an option for those with nausea and/or vomiting as a prominent feature of their illness. Other treatments such as ketorolac are still being investigated in children.
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Curr. Opin. Pediatr. · Jun 2008
Case ReportsCase report: Brown-Séquard syndrome resulting from a ski injury in a 7-year-old male.
Cervical spine and spinal cord injuries are rare in pediatric trauma victims. The majority result from blunt trauma. ⋯ We present the case of young boy who suffered spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality resulting in the Brown-Séquard syndrome and review the controversy surrounding the use of high-dose corticosteroids in the treatment of pediatric spinal cord injury. Current data do not support the use of corticosteroids as 'standard of care' for this population.