Sick child 1, Common acute illness - part 2

Question 1

What are some of the different types of ‘‘fits, faints and funny turns’’ kids can present with ?

Answer 1

• Febrile seizures
• Vasovagal episodes
• Reflex anoxic seizures
• Breath holding attacks
• Behavioural episodes
• Epilepsy
• Arrhythmias

Question 2

Describe what a febrile seizure is

Answer 2

Fits that can happen when a child has a fever. They most often happen between the ages of six months and three years.

Question 3

What is a vasovagal episode ?

Answer 3

Vasovagal syncope occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress.

The tigger causes your HR and BP to drop which results in reduced blood flow to the brain causing you to briefly loose consciousness. (Faint)

Question 4

Describe what a reflex anoxic seizure is

Answer 4

Occur mainly in young children

Any unexpected stimulus e.g. such as pain, shock, fright, causes the heart and breathing to stop.

The eyes to roll up into the head, the complexion to become deathly white, often blue around the mouth and under the eyes, the jaw to clench and the body to stiffen; sometimes the arms and legs jerk. After a bit the body relaxes, the heart starts beating (sometimes very slowly initially) and the sufferer is unconscious. Often a few mins later the person regains conciousness

Question 5

Describe what a breath holding seizure is

Answer 5

• The child usually cries vigorously, then becomes silent with their breath held
• Then loose consciousness

Question 6

Appreciate that children often have accidents and trauma - this can often be linked stages in a child’s development

Answer 6

• e.g. when they start going to clubs in school such as trampoline club and pick up injuries from there
• or e.g. when they are in the phase of putting things in their mouths choking often occurs during this stage

Question 7

What do you need to consider in every child with unexplained injuries ?

Answer 7

Non-accidental injury - child abuse

Question 8

What are some of the common GI

Answer 8

• Viral gastroenteritis
• GI obstruction - congenital pyloric stenosis, volvulus, intussusception and malrotation [infants]
• Acute abdomen [in older children] - appendicitis
• UTI – consider abnormal renal tract
• Testicular torsion

Question 9

What is the most common type of arrhythmias in kids ?

Answer 9

SVT

Question 10

What classification of heart problems is most common in kids ?

Answer 10

Congenital