Use of implanted synthetic and prosthetic devices has revolutionized pediatric practice by providing long-term venous access, limb-salvage surgery, and successful treatment of hydrocephalus, urinary retention, and renal failure. However, infectious complications of these devices remain a major concern. These infections…
Infection and disease develop when the host immune system fails to protect adequately against potential pathogens. In individuals with an intact immune system, infection occurs in the setting of naïveté to the microbe and absence of or inadequate preexisting microbe-specific…
Fever of unknown origin ( FUO ) is a diagnostic dilemma for pediatricians because it is often difficult to distinguish clinically between benign and potentially life-threatening causes. Pediatricians face the important challenge of not missing the diagnosis of a serious…
Fever is the most common reason for a child to seek medical care. While most infants and children have benign viral causes of fever, a small percentage will have more serious infections. Unlike the situation in infants <2 mo of age,…
Fever is a common reason for neonates and young infants to undergo medical evaluation in the hospital or ambulatory setting. For this age-group (0-3 mo), fever without a focus refers to a rectal temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or greater, without other…
Fever is defined as a rectal temperature ≥38°C (100.4°F), and a value >40°C (104°F) is called hyperpyrexia . Traditionally, body temperature fluctuates in a defined normal range (36.6-37.9°C [97.9-100.2°F] rectally), so that the highest point is reached in early evening…
Children are traveling internationally with increasing frequency and to more exotic destinations that pose unique injury and disease risks. Compared to adults, children are less likely to receive pretravel advice and more likely to be seen by a medical provider…
More than 20 million children <5 yr old attend a childcare facility. These facilities can include part-day or full-day programs at nursery schools or preschools and full-day programs based in either a licensed childcare center or another person's home. Regardless of…
Infection prevention and control ( IPC ) programs have an important role in pediatric medicine. To be fully effective, IPC programs require a functional infrastructure that addresses collaboration with the public health system, widespread immunizations, and use of appropriate techniques…
Immunization is one of the most beneficial and cost-effective disease-prevention measures available. As a result of effective and safe vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated, polio is close to worldwide eradication, and measles and rubella are no longer endemic in the…