Journal of paediatrics and child health
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J Paediatr Child Health · Jul 2005
Drug treatment of neonatal seizures by neonatologists and paediatric neurologists.
To survey anti-epileptic drug (AED) treatment of early-onset neonatal seizures by neonatologists and paediatric neurologists. ⋯ Australian and New Zealand neonatologists and paediatric neurologists generally use phenobarbitone to treat neonatal seizures presumed to be owing to hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, though they do not always use appropriate doses. Neonatologists use phenobarbitone, phenytoin or a benzodiazepine for second and third episodes of seizures, whereas neurologists tend not to use benzodiazepines. Neonatologists use larger total doses of phenobarbitone than neurologists in pursuit of seizure control. Neonatologists discontinue AED earlier than neurologists.
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J Paediatr Child Health · May 2005
Case ReportsAssessment and follow-up of suspected child abuse in preschool children with fractures seen in a general hospital emergency department.
To evaluate the emergency department assessment and follow-up of possible child abuse in children with fractures. ⋯ Emergency department staff in a general hospital do not document or assess for all of the indicators of child abuse in a high-risk population and they do not document consideration of the diagnosis in the majority of cases. Emergency department staff need more training and more resources to allow for full assessment of child abuse. Suspected child abuse cases should be referred to a paediatrician to improve investigation and follow-up.
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J Paediatr Child Health · Apr 2005
Physician counselling practices and decision-making for extremely preterm infants in the Pacific Rim.
This study was undertaken to evaluate physician counselling practices and resuscitation decisions for extremely preterm infants in countries of the Pacific Rim. We sought to determine the degree to which physician beliefs, parents' opinion and medical resources influence decision-making for infants at the margin of viability. ⋯ We report physician beliefs and practices regarding resuscitation and the counselling of parents of extremely preterm infants in Pacific Rim countries. While we find variation among countries, physician practices appear to be determined by ethical decision-making and medical factors rather than social or economic factors in each country.
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J Paediatr Child Health · Mar 2005
Reduce the rads: a quality assurance project on reducing unnecessary chest X-rays in children with asthma.
To quantify and then reduce the number of unnecessary chest X-rays (CXR) being performed on children presenting with asthma. ⋯ This study determined that an unacceptably high rate of unnecessary CXR was being ordered in children presenting to hospital with asthma. It also showed how a clinically and statistically significant reduction in the overall number of CXR could be achieved, through a simple and easy to implement educational programme. Further measures are needed in addition to ongoing education in order to improve on this achievement.
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J Paediatr Child Health · Mar 2005
Pre-ambulatory infants with head trauma: a three-year retrospective study.
(i) To present the severity and documented mechanism of injury and clinical features of all infants less than 6 months old who presented with head trauma to a paediatric emergency department over a 3-year period; (ii) to evaluate the quality of their assessment; and (iii) to present the clinical features of those referred for assessment of possible inflicted injury. ⋯ The mechanism of injury and clinical findings can provide some guide as to the likelihood of an infant having sustained a major injury after head trauma. The assessment of infants with head trauma could be improved if currently available guidelines for children under 2 years old were adopted. However, infant-specific guidelines should be developed.