Paediatrics Flashcards
(327 cards)
When is jaundice in babies always pathological
In the first 24 hours
What are the causes of jaundice in the 24 hours?
- Rhesus haemolytic disease
- ABO haemolytic disease
- hereditary spherocytosis
- glucose-6-phosphodehydrogenase
What are the causes of jaundice in babies aged 2-14 days?
- usually physiological
- combination of factors including more red blood cells and more fragile red blood cells, and less developed liver function
- seen more commonly in breast fed babies
Screen for prolonged jaundice
- conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin
- direct antiglobulin test (coomb’s)
- TFTs
- FBC and blood film
- urine and MC&S and reducing sugars
- U+Es and LFTs
What are the causes of a prolonged jaundice (post 14 days)
- biliary atresia
- hypothyroidism
- galactosaemia
- urinary tract infection
- breast milk jaundice
- prematurity (due to immature liver function)
- congenital infections e.g. CMV, toxoplasmosis
What is biliary atresia?
Obliteration or discontinuation within the extrahepatic biliary system, resulting in the obstruction of bile flow
Type 1 biliary atresia
Proximal ducts are patent, common duct is obliterated
Type 2 biliary atresia
Atresia of the cystic duct and cystic structures are ofund in the porta hepatis
Type 3 biliary atresia
Atresia of the left and right ducts to the level of the porta hepatis
Signs of biliary atresia
- jaundice beyond 2 weeks
- hepatomegaly with splenomegaly
- abnormal growth
- cardiac murmurs
Presentation of biliary atresia
- jaundice
- appetite and growth disturbance
- dark urine and pale stools
Investigations for biliary atresia
- serum bilirubin: conjugated bilirubin abnormally high
- LFTs
- sweat chloride test to exclude CF as a cause
- ultrasound of the biliary tree and liver
- serum alpha 1 antitrypsin
- percutaneous liver biopsy with intraoperative cholangioscopy
What is the management of biliary atresia?
- surgical intervention
What are the complications of biliary atresia?
- unsuccessful anastamosis formation
- progressive liver disease
- cirrhosis with eventual hepatocellular carcinoma
What is neonatal sepsis?
- sepsis within the first 28 days
What are the most common causes of neonatal sepsis?
- group B streptococcus (main cause of early onset sepsis)
- escherichia coli
What are the risk factors of neonatal sepsis?
- mother who has had a baby with GBS infection, who has current GBS colonisation, current bacteruria, intrapartum tmep of ≥38, membrane rupture of ≥18 hours, or current infection throughout pregnancy
- prematurity
- low birth weight
- maternal chorioamnionitis
Presentation of neonatal sepsis
- respiratory distress (grunting, nasal flaring, use of accessory respiratory muscles, tachypnoea)
- tachycardia
- apnoea
- lethargy/change in mental state
- jaundice
- seizure
- poor/reduced feeding
- abdominal distension
- vomiting
- temperature
Investigations suspected neonatal sepsis
- blood culture
- FBC
- CRP
- blood gases (metabolic acidosis is particularly concerning)
- urine microscopy, culture and sensitivity
- lumbar puncture
What is the management of neonatal sepsis?
- IV benzypenicillin with gentamicin
- re-measure CRP after 18-24 hours after presentation if given antibiotics
Simple febrile convulsion
- <15 minutes
- generalised seizure
- typically no recurrence within 24 hours
- should be a complete recovery within an hour
Complex febrile seizure
- 15-30 minutes
- focal seizure
- may have repeat seizure within 24 hours
Febrile status epilepticus
> 30 minutes
Presentation of febrile convulsion
- usually occur early in viral infection as the temperature rises rapidly
- seizures are usually breig, last less than 5 minutes
- more commonly tonic clonic