Pediatrics
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Children with chronic medical conditions rely on complex management plans for problems that cause them to be at increased risk for suboptimal outcomes in emergency situations. The emergency information form (EIF) is a medical summary that describes medical condition(s), medications, and special health care needs to inform health care providers of a child's special health conditions and needs so that optimal emergency medical care can be provided. This statement describes updates to EIFs, including computerization of the EIF, expanding the potential benefits of the EIF, quality-improvement programs using the EIF, the EIF as a central repository, and facilitating emergency preparedness in disaster management and drills by using the EIF.
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Varicella-zoster virus vaccine has diminished the consequences of chicken pox in terms of health and economical burden. The increasing number of doses administered worldwide has revealed rare but important adverse effects that had not occurred during clinical trials. ⋯ Molecular analysis confirmed the vaccine strain as the causative agent. After an intravenous course with acyclovir, the child made a full recovery with no neurologic sequelae.
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Comparative Study
Injury patterns in obese versus nonobese children presenting to a pediatric emergency department.
Two of the most prevalent problems facing youth in the United States are injury and obesity. Obesity increases the risk of injury, prolongs recovery time, and increases morbidity among injured children. ⋯ Obese children are significantly more likely to sustain lower extremity injuries than upper extremity injuries and less likely to sustain head and face injuries than nonobese children. Strategies for preventing lower extremity injuries among obese youth should be sought.
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Emergency department (ED) crowding prevents the efficient and effective use of health services and compromises quality. Patients who use the ED for nonemergent health concerns may unnecessarily crowd ED services. In this article we describe characteristics of pediatric patients in the United States who use EDs for nonemergent visits. ⋯ Children's sociodemographic characteristics were predictors of nonemergent use of ED services.
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Endotracheal intubation is a common procedure in newborn care. The purpose of this clinical report is to review currently available evidence on use of premedication for intubation, identify gaps in knowledge, and provide guidance for making decisions about the use of premedication.