PEDIATRICS

 

INTRODUCTION

In Birmingham, pediatrics is split between one month of inpatient (spent at Children’s Hospital) and one month of outpatient (spent at outside clinics, in the nursery, and on electives).  Students on the inpatient rotation are divided among three teams: Green, Gold, and Pulmonary.  Call is taken every fourth night on Green and Gold, and is negotiated on Pulmonary.  During the outpatient month, each week is spent on a different rotation: Ambulatory (outpatient clinics), Adolescent (clinics and detention facilities), Nursery (UAB), and Elective (you can request a variety of pediatric subspecialties).  Additionally, students on the outpatient rotations take 2-3 evening ER “calls” from 5 pm – 11 pm.

 

Asthma Management

1.    Assess severity – does the patient need a breathing treatment immediately, or can you obtain the history first?

2.    Is this the first time the patient has wheezed?  Get a CXR.

3.    Does the patient have a fever?  If not, and they have chronic reactive airway problems, you can administer steroids sooner.

4.    Have they ever been admitted to the hospital or the ICU for wheezing/asthma?  Ever been intubated?

5.    What is their home asthma treatment regimen?

6.    Treatment

a.    Short-acting aerosol (15 minutes) – Albuterol 0.03 cc/kg plus saline to make a total volume of 3 cc.

b.    Long-acting aerosol – Albuterol 0.09 cc/kg plus saline to make a total volume of 12 cc.  (Minimum albuterol dose is 1 cc; max is 3 cc).

c.    Steroids – Start with 2 mg/kg/day initially, divided BID.  Use Solumedrol IV/IM or Prelone syrup (15mg/5cc, max dose is 80mg/dose).

 


Sepsis Workup (SWU)

1.    CXR, CBC with differential, blood cultures, lumbar puncture

2.    Treatment

a.    Ampicillin 50 mg/kg q6h

b.    Cefotaxime 50 mg/kg q8h

3.    Treat for 48 hours or until cultures are negative.  If patient looks good clinically, sometimes they can be managed at home on Rocephin after 24 hours on IV antibiotics and if cultures are negative.

 

Apparent Life Threatening Event (ALTE)

²      Check for sepsis (SWU).

²      Check for reflux (Upper GI).

²      Check for seizure (EEG).

²      Check for cardiac disease (EKG).


Viral Respiratory Panel (VRP)

P = Parainfluenza

A = Adenovirus

I = Influenza

R = Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

 

Immunization Schedule (as of 1/01) more recent Update always available

Birth                  HepB

2 months           DtaP, Hib, IPV, Prevnar, HepB

4 months           DtaP, Hib, IPV, Prevnar

6 months           DtaP, IPV, Prevnar, HepB

12 months         Hib, Prevnar, MMR, Varicella

15 months         DtaP

4–6 years          DtaP, IPV, MMR

11-16 years       Tetanus/diphtheria




Formulas for Pediatrics

Body Surface Area (m2): [(4 * weight in kg) + 7] / [wt. in kg + 90]

Intake:  neonates (1-28 days old) in cc/kg/day  (note: 1 oz = 30 cc)

             All other children in cc/ m2 /day

Output:  cc/kg/hr  (note: anything <1 cc/kg/hr is too little, report it to a resident)

 

Maintenance IVF > 1500 cc/ m2 /d to prevent dehydration

            àuse ¼ NS for pt. £ 6 mo

            àuse ½ NS for 6 mo – 2 yrs



Developmental Milestones


One month old

Gross motor:

Raises head slightly

Language:

Alerts to sound (blinks, startles)

Fine motor:

Tight grasp, follows to midline

Personal/social:

Regards face

 

Two months old

Gross motor:

Holds head midline, lifts chest off table

Language:

Smiles after being stroked or talked to

Fine motor:

Follows objects past midline

Personal/social:

Recognizes parent

 

Three months old

Gross motor:

Supports on forearms in prone, holds head up steadily

Language:

Coos

Fine motor:

Holds hands open at rest, follows in circular fashion

Personal/social:

Reaches for familiar people or objects

 

Four to five months old

Gross motor:

Rolls front to back, back to front, sits well when propped, shifts weight

Language:

Orients to voice

Fine motor:

Moves arms in unison to grasp, touches cube

Personal/social:

Enjoys looking around

 

Six to eight months old

Gross motor:

Sits well unsupported, puts feet in mouth

Language:

Babbles

Fine motor:

Reaches with either hand, transfers, uses raking grasp

Personal/social:

Recognizes strangers

 

Nine months old

Gross motor:

Creeps, crawls, cruises, pulls to stand

Language:

Understands no, waves bye-bye, dada, mama

Fine motor:

Pincer grasp, holds bottle, finger feeds

Personal/social:

Explores environment, plays patty-cake

 

Twelve months old

Gross motor:

Walks alone

Language:

Two words other than dada and mama

13 months = 3 words

14 months = follows one step commands

Fine motor:

Throws objects, lets go of toys, mature pincer grasp

Personal/social:

Imitates actions, comes when called

 

Fifteen months old

Gross motor:

Creeps up stairs, walks backwards

Language:

Uses 4 to 6 words

Fine motor:

Builds tower of two blocks

Personal/social:

Cooperates with dressing

 


Eighteen months old

Gross motor:

Runs, throws toys from standing

Language:

Knows eight body parts

Fine motor:

Fills spoon and feeds self

Personal/social:

Copies parents in tasks (sweeping, dusting)

 

Twenty-one months old

Gross motor:

Squats in play, goes up steps

Language:

Two word combinations, 50 word vocabulary

Fine motor:

Builds tower of five blocks, drinks well from cup

Personal/social:

Asks for food and to go to the toilet

 

Two years old

Gross motor:

Walks up and down steps without help

Language:

Uses pronouns inappropriately, understands two step commands; one-half of speech can be understood

Fine motor:

Removes shoes and pants

Personal/social:

Parallel play

 

Three years old

Gross motor:

Pedals tricycle, can alternate feet when going up steps

Language:

Three word sentences, uses plurals, past tense, 250 words, ¾th of speech can be understood

Fine motor:

Dresses and undresses partially, dries hands, draws a circle

Personal/social:

Group play, shares toys, plays well with others, knows name, age, and sex

 

Four years old

Gross motor:

Hops, skips, alternates feet going down stairs

Language:

Knows colors, says song or poem from memory, asks questions

Fine motor:

Buttons clothing fully, catches ball

Personal/social:

Tells tales, plays cooperatively with a group

 

Five years old

Gross motor:

Skips alternating feet, jumps over low obstacles

Language:

Prints first name

Fine motor:

Ties shoes, spreads with knive

Personal/social:

Plays competitive games, abides by rules, likes to help in household tasks