Pattern of pediatric ocular trauma in India

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to identify the causes, demographic and clinical profile and evaluate final visual outcome of pediatric ocular injuries. METHODS: Two hundred and four children aged fourteen years or less presenting to the emergency services of a tertiary care centre with ocular injury were included. Demographic data, nature and cause of injury, duration between injury and presentation to an ophthalmologist and the diagnosis were recorded. Evaluation of visual acuity, anterior segment and fundus were done. All patients were appropriately managed and followed up on days 1, 7, 1 month, 3 and 6 months. RESULT: Majority of injuries occurred in children of 5 years and older (87.7%). There were 133 (65.1%) boys and 71 (34.9%) girls. Forty-nine (24%) cases presented within 6 hours of injury while 70 (34.3%) presented after more than 24 hours after trauma. Most common cause of injury was bow and arrow (15.2%) followed by household appliances(14.3%). Closed globe injuries accounted for 42.2% injuries, open globe for 53.9% and 3.9% were chemical injuries. Best corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or better was achieved in 79 eyes (91.86%) in closed globe group. However, only 17 eyes (15.45%) in open globe group could achieve this. CONCLUSION: Most ocular injuries in children are preventable and occur from unsupervised games like bow and arrow and firecracker, which can lead to significant visual loss.     

Pattern of pediatric ocular trauma in India

Objective : The aim of the study is to identify the causes, demographic and clinical profile and evaluate final visual outcome of pediatric ocular injuries.Methods : Two hundred and four children aged fourteen years or less presenting to the emergency services of a tertiary care centre with ocular injury were included. Demographic data, nature and cause of injury, duration between injury and presentation to an ophthalmologist and the diagnosis were recorded. Evaluation of visual acuity, anterior segment and fundus were done. All patients were appropriately managed and followed up on days 1, 7,1 month, 3 and 6 months.Result : Majority of injuries occurred in children of 5 years and older (87.7%). There were 133 (65.1%) boys and 71 (34.9%) girls. Forty-nine (24%) cases presented within 6 hours of injury while 70 (34.3%) presented after more than 24 hours after trauma. Most common cause of injury was bow and arrow (15.2%) followed by household appliances (14.3%). Closed globe injuries accounted for 42.2% injuries, open globe for 53.9% and 3.9% were chemical injuries. Best corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or better was achieved in 79 eyes (91.86%) in closed globe group. However, only 17 eyes (15.45%) in open globe group could achieve this.Conclusion : Most ocular injuries in children are preventable and occur from unsupervised games like bow and arrow and firecracker, which can lead to significant visual loss.     

Prehospital predictors of risk for pelvic fractures in pediatric trauma patients

Pelvic fractures are uncommon in children, but can occur as a result of high-energy impact injuries to the lower torso in association with blunt trauma. Pelvic fractures can be associated with significant morbidity while the work-up and treatment for these injuries is costly. The aim was to identify risk factors that help determine which pediatric trauma patients are at highest risk of sustaining a pelvic fracture to aid in the development of criteria for the targeted use of pelvic radiographic imaging. A retrospective analysis was conducted using the only pediatric trauma registry in the state of Maryland, located at The Johns Hopkins Children's Center. All blunt trauma patients who were younger than 15 years of age from 1990 to 2005 were included in the analysis (n = 13,360) with a final diagnosis of pelvic fracture as the primary outcome of interest. Comparisons were made using Pearson's chi-square for categorical and the Mann-Whitney rank sum test for non-normally distributed variables. Pelvic fractures following blunt trauma in children are associated with age, race, place and mechanism of injury. Compared to children 4 years and younger, pelvic fractures were more likely to occur in children aged 5-9 years (OR = 3; P = 0.000), as well as 10-14 years (OR = 5; P = 0.000). Compared to blunt trauma injuries from falls, children who were struck by vehicles or who were occupants in motor vehicle crashes (MVC) were six times (P = 0.000) and twice (P = 0.02) as likely to sustain a pelvic fracture, respectively. Four factors were demonstrated by this study to be significantly associated with pediatric pelvic fractures: being Caucasian, age between 5 and 14 years, being struck as a pedestrian or a motor vehicle crash occupant. Identification of these factors may aid clinicians in selecting patients who are at highest risk for pelvic fracture and may benefit most from pelvic radiography.     

Review of the evidence on the management of blunt renal trauma in pediatric patients

Due to the size and location within the pediatric patient, the kidneys are susceptible to injury from blunt trauma. While it is clear that the goal of management of blunt renal trauma in children is renal preservation, the methods of achieving this goal have not been well established in the current literature. Therefore, we have set out to summarize and clarify the current published information on the management strategies for blunt renal trauma in children. While there is extensive literature available, it consists mostly of retrospective series documenting widely varied management styles. The purpose of this review is to display the current information available and delineate the role for future studies that may allow us to develop consistent management strategies of pediatric patients, who have sustained blunt renal trauma, in a safe and cost-effective manner.     

Risk analysis in pediatric inpatients

The complexity and vulnerability of the pediatric population make them unique to risk management. Risk analysis is particularly demanding here and requires comprehensive identification of hazardous situations. Few data are published on methods to prevent medication errors in pediatric inpatients, reducing the possibility for healthcare institutions to prioritize the actions to take. This paper summarizes the proactive risk analysis methods described in the literature, the failures identified, and the corrective actions applied to reduce the risks in pediatrics.     

Pediatric thoracic trauma: Current trends

Pediatric thoracic trauma is relatively uncommon but results in disproportionately high levels of morbidity and mortality when compared with other traumatic injuries. These injuries are often more devastating due to differences in children׳s anatomy and physiology relative to adult patients. A high index of suspicion is of utmost importance at the time of presentation because many significant thoracic injuries will have no external signs of injury. With proper recognition and management of these injuries, there is an associated improved long-term outcome. This article reviews the current literature and discusses the initial evaluation, current management practices, and future directions in pediatric thoracic trauma.     

Multiple trauma in pediatric patients

We analyzed the causes and diagnoses, the treatment, short and long-term outcome of a consecutive series of 70 pediatric polytrauma patients. From 1989 to 1996, 70 children (aged 10 months to 16 years, mean 7.4 years) presented with multiple trauma. A follow-up investigation was performed 4.2 years (mean) after the accident. Traffic accidents (68%) were the leading cause of injuries. Among all injuries (mean ISS 24.6 range 17–57), injuries of the head/neck area were most frequent (87%) followed by extremity fractures (76%) and 135 operations were performed on 55 children, mostly for fracture stabilisation. All multiple injured children survived. At discharge 25 children were still impaired (36% of 70). At follow-up 58 patients were revisited, 11 (19% of 58) presented with impairments, 8 of those (73% of 11) following severe head trauma. This study showed a 10% rate of late impairment due to the severity of the primary head trauma.     

小儿原发性血小板增多症4例临床及实验室分析

目的探讨小儿原发性血小板增多症(ET)的临床、实验室特征。方法诊断依PVSB标准;行血常规、骨髓细胞形态学、凝血四象、血小板功能等检查。确诊后给予抗凝、活血或马利兰治疗。结果4例患儿中以出血症状诊断2例、血栓症状诊断2例;脾肿大3例;外周血血小板(Plt)724~1028×109/L,易见Plt聚集成堆,可见巨大Plt、畸形Plt;骨髓象巨核细胞明显增多,分类以产板型为主;3例APTT延长,血小板粘附率、聚集功能降低。治疗后症状均缓解,随访至今无恶性转化。结论ET患儿具典型的临床和实验室特征,临床应予以重视,以防误诊。     

小儿原发性血小板增多症4例临床及实验室分析

目的 探讨小儿原发性血小板增多症（ET）的临床、实验室特征.方法 诊断依PVSB标准;行血常规、骨髓细胞形态学、凝血四象、血小板功能等检查.确诊后给予抗凝、活血或马利兰治疗.结果 4例患儿中以出血症状诊断2例、血栓症状诊断2例;脾肿大3例;外周血血小板（Plt）724～1028×10^9/L,易见Plt聚集成堆,可见巨大Plt、畸形Plt;骨髓象巨核细胞明显增多,分类以产板型为主;3例APTT延长,血小板粘附率、聚集功能降低.治疗后症状均缓解,随访至今无恶性转化.结论 ET患儿具典型的临床和实验室特征,临床应予以重视,以防误诊.     

Impaired spatial navigation in pediatric anxiety

Background:  Previous theories implicate hippocampal dysfunction in anxiety disorders. Most of the data supporting these theories stem from animal research, particularly lesion studies. The generalization of findings from rodent models to human function is hampered by fundamental inter-species differences. The present work uses a task of spatial orientation, which is known to rely on hippocampal function. Deficits in spatial navigation in anxious children suggest that the hippocampal network involved in spatial orientation is also implicated in anxiety disorders.
Methods:  Thirty-four treatment-naive children with an anxiety disorder (mean 11.00 years ± 2.54) are compared to 35 healthy age- and IQ-matched healthy children (mean 11.95 years ± 2.36) on a virtual, computer-based equivalent of the Morris Water Maze task.
Results:  Results indicate that children with anxiety disorder exhibit overall impaired performance relative to the comparison group. Anxious children made more heading direction errors and had worse accuracy in completing trials relative to controls.
Conclusions:  The results present novel evidence that spatial orientation deficits occur in pediatric anxiety.     

Pediatric trauma score: Is it reliable in predicting mortality?

The Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) is rapidly gaining acceptance for use in prehospital triage. This study examines its reliability in predicting mortality. The charts of the 533 trauma patients hospitalized between 1984–1989 were reviewed and the PTS was calculated for each. There were 3 deaths in 370 patients with PTS >8, while 24 of 163 children with PTS ⩽8 died. Size categorization was found to be overemphasized because of the low mortality (7.7%) in children smaller than 10 kg, although their mean PTS (6.4 ± 2.1) was significantly lower than the mean PTS (9.0 ± 2.2) of children over 10 kg. Forty-nine of 71 surgically treated patients having intra-abdominal organ injuries had a PTS >8. The existing parameters of PTS did not have equal relationships to mortality, and may even all be inadequate in the correct triage of children with blunt abdominal trauma. Correspondence to: E. Balık     

Sleep health education in pediatric community settings: rationale and practical suggestions for incorporating healthy sleep education into pediatric practice

This article offers practical ways to incorporate healthy sleep education into pediatric practice and discusses key questions, barriers, and strategies associated with such efforts. The rationale for incorporating healthy sleep education in pediatric practice settings is presented, and desirable features of sleep education programs that may be implemented in pediatric practice are identified. Potential barriers are reviewed and strategies offered to overcome these barriers, such as developing resources applicable to healthy sleep education and practical information for pediatricians. Key factors regarding effectiveness of such interventional programs and key points relevant to successful healthy sleep education in pediatric practice are highlighted.     

The art and science of pediatric damage control

Damage control is a surgical strategy that has evolved and expanded considerably over the past 25 years. The approach was initially developed as a “bail out” procedure to control bleeding with severe abdominal injuries in the setting of unmitigated hemorrhagic shock. Damage control is now more broadly applied as a comprehensive management plan for the resuscitation and surgical treatment of injured patients with exhausted physiologic and metabolic reserve. This article reviews the most current concepts in damage control that are important and relevant to the practicing pediatric surgeon. It also provides evidence-based recommendations about how damage control principles can be pragmatically applied to severely injured children. This review focuses specifically on the fundamentals of damage control with respect to resuscitation and the operative treatment of children with severe abdominal, thoracic, and extremity injuries.     

Cerebellar lesions in pediatric abusive head trauma

Pediatric abusive head trauma (AHT) or non accidental head trauma (NAHT) is a major cause of death from trauma in children under 2 years of age. Main etiological factor for non accidental head trauma is shaking a baby, causing brain injury by rotational head acceleration and deceleration. The consequent brain damage as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is subdural haemorrhage and to a lesser extent parenchymal injuries of variable severity. Involvement of the cerebellum has very rarely been described.We report the clinical history and the development of cerebral magnetic resonance imaging findings in two children with serious brain injury following probable shaking who presented the typical “triad” with subdural haematoma, retinal haemorrhage and encephalopathy. We want to draw attention to cerebellar involvement characterized by cortico-subcortical signal alterations most prominent on T2w images following diffusion changes during the acute period. We discuss cerebellar involvement as a sign of higher severity of AHT which is probably underrecognized.     

儿童创伤生命支持培训课程的实践与思考

目的探讨儿童创伤生命支持(pediatric trauma life support,PTLS)培训课程对提高儿童创伤急救能力的作用。方法采用国际创伤生命支持学会的PTLS课程对从事儿童创伤急救的医护人员进行培训,培训分为理论课和实践课,注重于提高学员的现场判断能力和急救技能。结果培训后学员的理论测试成绩较培训前提高,合格率、优秀率也有提高,差异均有统计学意义(P0.01)。学员的技能考核和仿真模拟考核均达到合格,其中优秀率依次为,转运固定技能42.62%,初级、高级气道管理81.97%,休克判断和处理70.49%,仿真模拟考核72.13%。院内组的培训前理论成绩显著高于院前组(P0.01),培训后院内组仍高于院前组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论经PTLS培训后,学员的理论、实践和综合救治能力得到提高,团队合作精神得到加强。     

Assessment and treatment of psychological factors in pediatric chest pain

Chest pain is regularly encountered in pediatric medical settings and may be associated with many organic diagnoses that vary widely in morbidity and mortality. Patients with chest pain with and without organic disease may also suffer from comorbid, exacerbating, or causal psychopathology. This article provides practical general guidelines for psychological diagnosis and alleviation of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Specific medical conditions that may benefit from psychological consultation are highlighted. Pediatric chest pain, including an analysis of medically unexplained chest pain, is examined from a psychological perspective that includes a critical review of relevant literature and suggestions for the clinical management of this condition.