Pediatric Emergency

Clinical Pediatric Emergency:

The increase in population and changes in life style have imposed with stress and resulting in increasing the mortality and morbidity. These are higher among the children due to their inadequate organ responses and inability to cope up during emergencies. The pediatric emergencies are drowning, poisoning, burns, respiratory syndrome, injuries, and ingestion of foreign bodies.

Management of Pediatric Emergencies:

Younger children are more prone to emergencies due to intense activity; intense curiosity and immaturity can have more accidents. Ex: falls and poisoning. These accidents can be prevented by parents to a great extent.

Drowning:

Drowning is one of the major of cause of death in children it occurs due to inadequate protective supervision.

Management of drowning:

•          Mouth to mouth ventilation
•          Cardiac massage

Burns:

The burns occur when there is a severe injury to the tissues due to heat, chemicals or radiation. Immediate mortality occurs in case of extensive burns. Based on the size and depth of injury burns may categorized as minor, major and moderate.

Causes of burns:

•          Moist heat
•          Chemical injury
•          Electrical injury
•          Radiation injury

Ingestion of foreign bodies:

Aspiration of foreign bodies can occur at any age but most commonly can be seen in infant’s age group of 1-3.A sharp or irritating object can cause irritation or edema and in some cases also causes emphysema or inflammation.

Treatment:

Laryngoscopic removal of foreign objects from the body. After removal of foreign bodies child has be placed in a high humid atmospheric condition. Antibiotics are administered and for further signs it’s necessary of child to be under observation.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome:

It is one of the most common problems occurs in pre mature babies and it is also called as hyaline membrane disease. It causes babies to need extra oxygen and help for breathing. Respiratory Distress Syndrome gets worse over the first 2-3 days and then gets better with the treatment. Treatment is based on age, symptoms, general health and severity of the condition includes, Extra oxygen (supplemental oxygen), having a ventilator breathe for the baby.