Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Pearls

Created in 2015, this series is hosted by Dr. Jessica Chow and Dr. Josh Bukowski who are authors and editors for this series which focuses on evidence-based care in the realm of pediatric emergency medicine.

PEM Pearls: Hydrocortisone stress-dosing in adrenal insufficiency for children

During your shifts in the pediatric ED, you may encounter a few patients with adrenal insufficiency or adrenal crisis. Some of the most common causes include those patients with Addison disease, pituitary hypothalamic pathology, and those patients on chronic steroids. When these patients get sick or sustain trauma, it is important to consider giving them a stress dose of hydrocortisone. Patients in adrenal insufficiency or crisis can present with dehydration, weakness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, lethargy, and severe hypotension refractory to vasopressors. ^1–3

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By Delphine Huang, MD|2017-10-26T14:34:06-07:00May 2, 2016|Endocrine-Metabolic, Pediatrics, PEM Pearls|

PEM Pearls: Pediatric Concussions

A 9-year boy was hit in the head during a soccer game and was out for a few seconds. He regained consciousness quickly, but was repetitive for EMS. By the time the patient arrived at the ED, he was back to his normal self. Did this patient sustain a concussion? If so, what discharge instructions, anticipatory guidance, and resources do you have for your patient and his family? Here’s a quick 170-second animated video tutorial to sum up some thing for you.

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By Delphine Huang, MD|2017-10-26T14:34:13-07:00Mar 7, 2016|Pediatrics, PEM Pearls, Trauma|

Radiation risk in children getting CT imaging

The Case: A 5 year old girl presents to the ED with approximately 24 hours of suprapubic and RLQ abdominal pain. Vital signs are: Temp 38.2 C, HR 110, RR 19, BP 100/60, Oxygen Sat 100% on room air. She has vomited twice but has not had diarrhea. She had a history of constipation a year ago that has resolved and mother denies any urinary symptoms or history of UTI’s. The patient is quiet but nontoxic appearing. Your abdominal exam notes mild to moderate RLQ tenderness but no rebound and normal bowel sounds. You order a urinalysis, which is negative and a RLQ US which ‘does not visualize the appendix’. Your suspicion for possible appendicitis is still intermediate; however, now the patient states she is “a little hungry”. Should you order a CT of the abdomen and pelvis? Uuugh!

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By Robert Cloutier, MD MCR|2019-11-12T19:18:02-08:00Jan 25, 2016|CME, Pediatrics, PEM Pearls, Radiology|

PEM Pearls: Cardiac causes of pediatric chest pain

Children with chest pain commonly present to the emergency department. Both the child and family members may think their symptoms are due to a serious illness. Among adolescents seen for their chest pain, more than 50% thought they were having a heart attack or that they had cancer.¹ In reality, only 6% of pediatric chest pain has a cardiac etiology.² Nonetheless, extensive and costly emergency department (ED) evaluations are common and there is wide practice variation.³

But prior to reassuring your patient, what can you do to reassure yourself that your patient doesn’t need a more extensive workup? What would make you suspicious for cardiac causes of pediatric chest pain?

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By Delphine Huang, MD|2017-10-26T14:34:30-07:00Dec 14, 2015|Cardiovascular, CME, Pediatrics, PEM Pearls|

PEM Pearls: Migraine Treatment for Pediatric EM Patients

You are working your evening shift at the pediatrics emergency department, and you walk into a darkened patient room with a distressed mother and her otherwise healthy 10-year old son who is curled in a ball, holding his head and crying. Her mother tells you that the around-the-clock ibuprofen has barely touched his 2-day headache.

After determining that your patient has no neurologic deficits and that this is most likely a primary headache, what can you do to break his symptoms?

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By Delphine Huang, MD|2017-10-26T14:34:37-07:00Aug 31, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Neurology, Pediatrics, PEM Pearls|

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