Welcome to the blog
Expand your knowledge of pediatric emergency medicine, stay informed, and get practical tips on how to (act) correctly and according to guidelines in critical situations:
Welcome to the blog
September 2024
Help for infants and toddlers with stridor
Breathing sounds in infants and young children can be worrying.
They may have no meaning or they may have a serious meaning.
Therefore, an experienced person should be asked at least once for an assessment.
And: If you are thinking about a bronchoscopy, you should have it done!
A functional and anatomical examination is required for a complete diagnosis. > read more
May 2024
Foreign body aspiration – the most important rules for prehospital care
Children often explore their surroundings with their mouths – this can quickly lead to dangerous situations.
A violent cough after swallowing objects usually indicates aspiration.
This can happen particularly when eating, especially with nuts or raw food.
But what to do in an emergency? > read more
April 2024
Avoid damage due to intubation
In contrast to adults, ventilation is the most important measure when resuscitating children or in the event of a serious emergency, because chest compressions alone are NOT suitable for children! On the one hand, it is hardly possible for the small organism to survive without ventilation – on the other hand, there is a very high probability that the circulation will be reactivated quickly with ventilation! This makes it all the more important to know a clear course of action in the event of a child emergency where mask ventilation is unsuccessful! > read more
February 2024
Ventilation problems: "Spoon with light" can save lives
In contrast to adults, ventilation is the most important measure when resuscitating children or in the event of a serious emergency, because chest compressions alone are NOT suitable for children! On the one hand, it is hardly possible for the small organism to survive without ventilation – on the other hand, there is a very high probability that the circulation will be reactivated quickly with ventilation! This makes it all the more important to know a clear course of action in the event of a child emergency where mask ventilation is unsuccessful! > read more
January 2024
The role of parents in emergency care
Whenever possible, parents should be allowed to be present during their children’s treatment. On the one hand, they are usually well informed about the children’s previous medical conditions, can give precise details of the children’s weight and are the only way to take a medical history. If parents report that something is wrong with their child, this must be taken very seriously! > read more
December 2023
Unclear exceptional circumstances – always have them assessed by a pediatrician!
It regularly happens that the emergency services are confronted with a report of a condition that is perceived as threatening, from which nothing clear can be derived anamnestically and the child again presents completely unrestricted. Nevertheless, presentation at a pediatric clinic is always necessary. > read more
October 2023
In children with abdominal pain also pay attention to the lungs!
In children who show or report abdominal pain, the abdomen must of course be thoroughly examined and included in the differential diagnosis. In the clinic, sonography of the abdomen is also always required to rule out severe pathology (e.g., even volvulus is often clinically deceptive). But the true diagnosis is often found outside the abdomen! > read more
August 2023
Narcotics by paramedics – own standardized procedures needed for children
Current amendment to the BtMG [1], (abbreviated wording): “Narcotics may be administered by emergency paramedics in accordance with standardized medical instructions if this is necessary to avert danger to health or to eliminate significant discomfort.” Standardized procedural instructions and organizational requirements must now be created by the ÄLRD. This opportunity for faster, adequate pain therapy is also to be welcomed for children. However, particular caution is required here … > read more
July 2023
Button cells: the danger in your own home
Serious harm to children from swallowed button cells is on the rise! Even severe burns with damage to the trachea and large blood vessels can be the – even fatal – consequence. If, despite prevention, it happens that the small batteries are swallowed …
April 2023
Lidocaine – unsuitable and dangerous as an analgesic
Lidocaine has also gained popularity as an analgesic in pediatric medicine, although there is no scientific basis for this. Therapeutic breadth is narrow, dosing errors are dangerous. Dhe pediatric emergency ruler (PedNFL) specifies only one application for lidocaine … > read more
