Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem. It is also known as death by neurologic criteria and is legally accepted as death in the United States. Epidemiology In children, brain death…
Neurocritical Care Principles The brain has high metabolic demands, which are further increased during growth and development. Preservation of nutrient supply to the brain is the mainstay of care for children with evolving brain injuries. Intracranial dynamics describes the physics…
Lacerations and Cuts Lacerations are tears of the skin caused by blunt or shearing forces. A cut (or a stab ), in contrast, is an injury inflicted by a sharp object. Although distinguishing between the two can be important for…
See also Chapter 729 . Compared with adults, spine and spinal cord injuries are rare in children, particularly young children, because of both anatomic differences and etiologies of injury. The main mechanisms of injury to the spine are motor vehicle…
Epidemiology Injury is a leading cause of death and disability in children throughout the world (see Chapter 13 ). Deaths represent only a small fraction of the total trauma burden. Approximately 140,000 children were treated in U.S. trauma centers in…
Injuries are the leading cause of death in American children and young adults and account for more childhood deaths than all other causes combined (see Chapter 13 ). Rapid, effective bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for children is associated with survival…
Identifying the acutely ill child in the ambulatory setting is a challenge. Children presenting to pediatricians’ offices, urgent care practices, and emergency departments (EDs) may have a range of illnesses from simple viral infections to life-threatening emergencies. Although most children…
The overwhelming majority of the 27 million children who present annually for emergency care in the United States are seen at community hospital emergency departments (EDs). Visits to children's hospital EDs account for just 10% of initial emergency care encounters.…
Integrative medicine focuses on promoting physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and educational well-being in the context of a medical home in a healthy family and community. The foundations of integrative medicine are health-promoting practices such as optimal nutrition and dietary…
Poisoning is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, surpassing that from motor vehicle crashes. Most these deaths are unintentional (i.e., not suicide). In adolescents, poisoning is the 3rd leading cause of injury-related death. Of the >2…