Week 7 Flashcards
main differences between adults and children - cranium
CHILD
- skull and brain grow rapidly during early childhood = increased risk for brain injury
- top heavy as a child (head large in proportion to body)
- neck muscles not well developed
- thin cranial bones not well developed until 2
main differences between adults and children - cervical spine
- excessive spinal mobility (immature muscles, joint capsule, ligaments, cartilagenous vertebral bodies, incomplete ossification
- greater risk for high cervical spine injury at C1-C2 level OR compression fractures with falls`
3 meninges
- dura mater
- arachnoid membrane
- pia matter
Dura mater - two spaces (2)
- epidural space - between 2 dura mater layers
- subdural space - between dura mater and arachnoid
Arachnoid mater - space
- subarachnoid space - filled with CSF
Pia mater - what
- contains arteries and veins that supply the brain
Cerebral blood flow - 3 characteristics
- auto-regulation
- oxygen
- blood brain barrier
Cerebral blood flow - autoregulation
- intracranial pressure –>
- cerebral arteries change their diameter in response to fluctuating cerebral perfusion
- Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP) = MAP (mean arterial pressure) - Intracranial Pressure
- CPP = MAP - ICP
- IE - increased ICP = blood pressure must increase for perfusion
Cerebral blood flow - oxygen
- needs alteration with temperature (ex fever = needs more oxygen)
- brain sensitive to PaO2 and PaCO2
Cerebral blood flow - blood brain barriers
- at birth, it is indiscriminate = allows passage of protein as well as oxygen and glucose (why meningitis is prevalent in this age group)
Neuro assessment - what (3)
- level of consciousness
- basics + more complex elements
- head circumference
- fontanels
- suture lines in infants
- Pupil size, shape, equality, light
- developmental milestones
- posture/movement
- neck stiffness - meningitis ?
Neuro assessment - level of consciousness
- Glasgow coma scale - Kidz edition
- recognize caregiver?
- irritable, difficult or calm to console
- range is 3-15 (anything below an 8 you lose ability to protect airway effectively )
Neuro assessment - basics
- allertness
- ability to keep up with other children vs tires easliy with feeding or activity
- sleep patterns
- concentration, attention span, hyperactivity, memory or learning problems
Neuro assessment - more complex elements
- seizures
- fainting spells
- dizziness
- numbness
- brain injuries
Neuro assessment - head circumferance (3)
- hydrocephalus?
- fontanels and sutures
- palpation
Neuro assessment - fontanells (4)
- closed?
- flat and soft?
- sunken?
- full and bulging?
Neuro assessment - suture lines in infants
- separated?
- overriding?
Neuro assessment - pupils (4)
- pupillary size
- shape
- equality
- reqctive to light
- PERRL
Neuro assessment - posture and movement
- infant posture and movement = test via primitive reflexes
- observe patient doing spontaneous activity
Neuro assessment - neck stiffness
meningitis ?!!!`
Elevated ICP
- potentially devastating complication of neuro injury
- often complication of traumatic brain injury
- may occur in children with hydrocephaly, brain tumours, infectious hepatic encephalopathy, impaired central nervous system venous outflow (tumours)
Management of elevated ICP
- early recognition and prompt management
- TREAT = reduce ICP, correct original cause
- ex a VP shunt
Pupils - coning
- unequal size and shape of pupils
Pupils - bilateral dilation
- can be from something as simple as a pupil dilator (ophthalmology)