• PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Asthma – child aged 1–5 years

    gathered from https://www.asthmahandbook.org.au/ -v2.0 Asthma in children is defined clinically as a combination of variable respiratory symptoms (e.g., wheeze, shortness of breath, cough, and chest tightness) and excessive variation in lung function, which indicates variable airflow limitation greater than that seen in healthy children. Key Points Age-specific Diagnostic Considerations Infants…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Asthma – likelyhood

    gathered from https://www.asthmahandbook.org.au/ -v2.0 Checking Whether Current Symptoms Are Due to Asthma Recommendations Likelihood of Asthma Asthma More Likely Criteria Details Symptoms More than one of wheeze, breathlessness, chest tightness, cough Symptom Pattern Recurrent or seasonal, worse at night or early morning History of Allergies Allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis Triggers…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Pertussis / Whooping Cough 

    Assessment Catarrhal Phase (1-2 weeks, sometimes as short as a few days in infants <3 months) Paroxysmal Cough Stage (2-4 weeks with a peak at 2 weeks, may persist up to 10 weeks) Recovery Phase Complications Investigations Management Prophylaxis Recommended antibiotic for post-exposure prophylaxis for pertussis – Australian Prescriber – VOLUME…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA – KIDS)

    upper airway dysfunction causing complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep leading to decreased oxygen saturation or arousals from sleep. Peaks in pre-school years pediatric OSA peaks between 2- 8 years of age due to the increased growth of tonsils and adenoids relative to the size of the upper airway…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    CAUSES of Stridor

    History Examination Age Frequency Tests Management Croup Associated URTIBarking cough +/ fever, not toxichigh pitched stridor 6 m6y mean 18m Common Nil Supportive SteroidsAdrenaline Epiglottitis Sudden onsetRapid progressionNo preceding coughURTI 2550% Sitting upToxic, pale, droolingLow pitched stridor 90% 2yr Rare in immunised children XrayBlood culture AntibioticsSupportive Foreign body Possible choking…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Epiglottitis

    Causes Group A beta hemolytic Streptococcus (Streptococcus Pyogenes) Streptococcus Pneumoniae Staphylococcus aureus Moraxella catarrhalis HaemophilusInfluenzae type B Previously most common cause of Epiglottitis in children No longer a common cause in due to Hib Vaccine More common in adults than children now with waning Vaccination/Immunity and failed Herd Immunity Risks…

  • PAEDIATRICS,  RESPIRATORY PEADS

    Croup 

    Key Points Pathophysiology Pathology Assessment History Examination Investigations Minimal Wheezing (Inspiratory Stridor instead), Minimal rhonchi and no rales Assessment “Sound worse than they look” (Opposite of Epiglottitis) – However, severe croup can cause complete airway obstruction    Mild   Moderate  Severe  Behaviour  Normal Able to talk normally Some / intermittent irritability  Some limitation…