Altered Mental Status and Coma
HIGH-YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen For coma to occur there must be an insult to both cerebral hemispheres or to the reticular activating system. Decorticate posturing signifies dysfunction of the…
Respiratory Distress
HIGH-YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen Tachypnea, hyperpnea, nasal flaring, and retractions are the key features of respiratory distress. Respiratory failure is the most common precipitating cause of cardiopulmonary arrest in…
The Febrile- or Septic-Appearing Infant or Child
HIGH-YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen Children typically have four to six febrile illnesses in the first two years of life with most of these being nonspecific viral illnesses. Widespread vaccination…
Brief Resolved Unexplained Events
HIGH YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen A brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE) is defined as “an event occurring in an infant younger than 1 year when the observer reports a…
The Febrile or Septic-Appearing Neonate
HIGH-YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen The risk of serious bacterial illness (SBI) is greatest during the neonatal period, defined as birth to 28 days of life. Some authorities recommend that…
Approach to the Child in the Emergency Department
HIGH-YIELD FACTS Print Section Listen The emergency physician must have a reasonable knowledge of the developmental stages to identify abnormal or delayed development. Observation of the young child during history…
Approach to the Psychiatric Patient
Key Points Print Section Listen New-onset psychiatric illness requires a comprehensive emergency department work-up. Consider a medical etiology. Prior psychiatric illness with similar presentation does not require an extensive work-up….
Life-Threatening Dermatoses
Key Points Print Section Listen Rapid identification of life-threatening rashes and immediate treatment can be life-saving. If there is any uncertainty of etiology in a given case, treat presumptively for…
Allergic Reactions
Key Points Print Section Listen Epinephrine is the first-line medication for the treatment of anaphylaxis. Second-line treatment consists of antihistamines and corticosteroids. Urticaria may be the first sign of what…
Cervical Spine Injuries
Key Points Print Section Listen Use the NEXUS criteria and/or Canadian C-Spine rules to determine which patients require radiographic imaging. Forego plain films and proceed directly to computed tomography imaging…
