Prehospital Emergency Medicine Secrets

Pediatric Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord Injuries

Questions and Answers Case: You respond to the scene of a motor vehicle collision to find a 5-year-old child complaining of neck pain. She does not report any other complaints. 1 What challenges do children present in evaluation of neck…

Pediatric Head Injuries and Facial Trauma

Questions and Answers 1 A 12-year-old male steps too close to another golfer’s backswing and is hit in the right eye by the club. How can you prevent further eye damage on the way to the emergency department (ED)? You…

Technology-Dependent Children

Questions and Answers 1 What is the definition of a “technologically-dependent child?” Technology-dependent children are those who are reliant on a medical device to augment (or completely replace) a vital bodily function to sustain life. 2 What are the most…

Seizures

Questions and Answers 1 What is the definition of a seizure? Sudden occurrence of signs and/or symptoms causing change in motor, sensory, behavioral activity, or consciousness due to abnormal neuronal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures account for about 1%…

Respiratory Distress Emergencies

Questions And Answers Pneumonia 1 You are called to the house of a 7-year-old male. His mother tells you that he has been coughing for about a week. Yesterday, he developed a fever up to 103°F and today he began…

Chest Pain and Syncope

Questions and Answers Chest Pain Case: You are called to evaluate a 12-year-old boy with no medical history who has been complaining of chest pain over the last few hours. He reports the pain as central, sharp, and worse with…

Altered Mental Status

Questions and Answers 1 What does altered mental status (AMS) mean? AMS is synonymous with an altered level of consciousness. It encompasses the spectrum of responsiveness between a patient’s baseline level of consciousness and a comatose state. It alerts the…

Shock

Questions and Answers 1 What is shock? Shock is inadequate blood flow (and therefore oxygen delivery) to meet tissue demands. 2 Why is early recognition and treatment of shock important? Early recognition and treatment of shock are associated with improved…

Cardiac Arrest and Arrhythmias

Questions and Answers 1 What is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in children? Respiratory failure. In sharp contrast to adults, cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children is most often associated with hypoxia, respiratory failure, and respiratory arrest. While…