Archives of disease in childhood
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Letter Multicenter Study
Oral rehydration therapy: a lesson from the developing world.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Topical lignocaine for pain relief in acute otitis media: results of a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial.
Acute otitis media (AOM) is common in children, yet the optimal management of ear pain associated with AOM has not been well studied. We set out to determine the efficacy of topical aqueous 2% lignocaine eardrops compared with a placebo (saline) for pain relief of AOM in children. ⋯ This study suggests that topical aqueous 2% lignocaine eardrops provide rapid relief for many young children presenting with ear pain attributed to AOM. The concurrent use of simple oral analgesia is a likely contributor to effective management of this painful childhood condition.
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A subgroup of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have chronic and complex medical conditions and frequently attend the emergency department (ED). Some of these ED visits could be prevented through appropriate clinician advice or, if an ED visit is unavoidable, the management time could be decreased. We set out to determine whether an ED-based advice and coordination programme was feasible and could prevent or accelerate ED care for these patients. METHODS, SETTING AND PATIENTS: We identified CSHCN who frequently attended the ED at a large tertiary children's hospital. These patients were enrolled in an ED-based coordination programme, the Accelerated Care through Emergency (ACE) programme providing 24-hour mobile-phone access to experienced ED nurses. We prospectively tracked usage patterns and determined the rate of ED visits after receiving phone advice and the waiting time for patients to be seen in ED. Parental satisfaction and cost of the programme were also assessed. ⋯ We have developed a coordinated approach towards the provision of healthcare for a group of families with diverse severe chronic medical conditions who frequently present to the ED. Through a comprehensive programme including the development of patient-care plans, care coordination and 24-hour mobile-phone access we were able to enhance families' capacities to manage their children's conditions in the community.