Recognition and initial management of the seriously ill child Flashcards
(46 cards)
What is the most common reason for cardiorespiratory arrest?
Hypoxia
How does the ABCDE approach help assess a child?
It is a systematic approach to assess a sick child
How would you treat an upper airway obstruction?
Maintain airway patency
Delivery of supplemental oxygen ASAP to prevent hypoxia
Feeding should be avoided
If there is a decreased level of consciousness airway compromise, must be assumed
Name a basic airway opening manoeuvre
Head tilt and chin lift, or Jaw thrust
What airway adjunct could you use until Experienced help is available
Oronasal pharyngeal airway should be used
What is an advanced emergency airway management?
Insertion of tracheal tube, supraglottic airway such as an i gel, laryngeal mask airway LMA, or cricothyroidotomy 
Name some causes of airway obstruction
Congenital abnormality
Secretion such as vomit and blood
Respiratory tract, infection, swelling and mucus
Pharyngeal swelling, oedema and infection
Epiglottitis
Croup
Nasal feeding tubes,
Oxygen delivery devices
Foreign body
Central nervous system, depression, loss of muscle tone,
Facial or throat trauma 
If a child has increased respiratory rate, what would dare arterial CO2 levels be?
Arterial CO2 levels may initially be normal or even low due to increased respiratory rate, although they will rise stimulating the respiratory centre to increase the rest fruit tree rate further as fail worsens.
What symptoms may you find if a child is arterial CO2 levels are increased
Tachycardia
Vasodilation and bounding pulse
What happens when respiratory decompensation occurs?
The respiratory system is unable to provide sufficient oxygen for tissue requirements, anaerobic metabolism, occurs, and respiratory acidosis is complicated by metabolic acidosis
Name, three kinds of recession
Sternal
Subcostal
Intercostal 
Name some signs of respiratory failure
Increased work of breathing
Recession
Use of accessory muscles head bobbing
Seesaw respiration
Nasal flaring
Inspiritatory expiratory noises
Grunting
May change position
How may you be able to tell how efficient a child’s breathing is?
Pulse oximetry
Chest movement palpitation and percussion
Chest auscultation
What does a quiet chest indicate?
A very quiet owner, silent chest indicates a dangerously reduced tidal volume and is an ominous sign
When should you start oxygen therapy?
If a child’s O2 saturation is 94% and below
When would you expect central cyanosis to appear?
If the child’s SATs are under 80%
What does AVPU stand for?
Alert
Response to voice
Response to the pain
Unresponsive to painful stimuli
What size would you expect for compensated circulatory failure?
Normal blood pressure
Signs of abnormal perfusion, tachycardia, poor skin, perfusion, long cap, refill, time, weak, peripheral, pulse, tachypnoea, and reduced urine output
What size would you see with decompensated circulatory failure?
Hypertension, clinical signs of inadequate tissue perfusion are more apparent
What is circulatory failure and shock?
Shock is the clinical state where the delivery of oxygenated blood and nutrients such as glucose to the body. Tissues is inadequate for metabolic demand. Additionally, the removal of cellular waste such as CO2 and lactic acid may also be impaired circulatory. Failure refers to insufficient blood being delivered to bodies tissues.
Name five categories of shock
Hypovolaemic shock
Distributive shock
Cardiogenic shock
Obstructive shock
Disassociative shock
What are the most common causes of circulatory failure in children?
Hypervolaemia, sepsis, or anaphylaxis
What is hypovolaemic shock?
decreased circulating volume (preload)
It may result from severe fluid loss, such as dehydration or haemorrhage
What is distributive shock?
An inadequate distribution of blood
The blood flow is insufficient for the metabolic demand of the tissues
For example, anaphylaxis, sepsis, or neurogenic
