May 5, 2014 - Increased awareness of the common causes of stridor in children. 4 . Increased confidence in your ability to manage a child with an airway ...
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You are here: Education > Paediatric airway problems Paediatric airway problems
Credit for this module will be based on completion time Intended for: Average completion time: Accredited by: Module objectives rating: Minimum pass score: Module format:
Trainees in paediatrics, emergency medicine, ENT, anaesthetics, general practitioners, foundation doctors 1 hour 6 mins Doctors.net.uk 97% 70% Includes video
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After completing this module you should have: 1 . Familiarity with the “ABCDE” approach to the assessment of an acutely unwell child 2 . Knowledge of why the paediatric airway is prone to obstruction compared to that of the adult airway 3 . Increased awareness of the common causes of stridor in children 4 . Increased confidence in your ability to manage a child with an airway problem and to develop an awareness of when to call for help Introduction
Disorders of the respiratory system are the most common cause of illness in children and are responsible for 30-40% of acute paediatric admissions in the UK. Infection is by far the most common cause of paediatric respiratory problems with 80% of respiratory tract infections in children affecting only the upper airways (Glasper and Richardson, 2006). Although the majority of respiratory illness in children is trivial, with only 20% needing medical intervention (Glasper and Richardson, 2006), respiratory hypoxia is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in children (Samuels and Wieteska, 2011). It is therefore important that every doctor can identify a child in respiratory distress, have an awareness of the potential causes and be able to instigate appropriate immediate management in line with current guidelines, such as the European and advanced paediatric life support courses (Resuscitation Council, 2011; Samuels and Wieteska, 2011). For this reason, the “ABCDE” approach to the assessment of an acutely unwell child is outlined in this module. This module covers some of the most common and potentially serious causes of acquired upper airway obstruction in children. Each child described in this module presents with stridor. Stridor is a harsh, vibratory sound produced by turbulent airflow through a narrowed airway (Maloney and Meakin, 2007). Stridor is indicative of upper airway obstruction that can be at the level of the supraglottis, glottis, subglottis and/or trachea (Cohen, 2000; Benson et al, 2012). It is important to remember that stridor is a symptom and not a diagnosis. Although stridor in children is most commonly due to a self-limiting illness such as croup, it can also be a sign of a more serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Therefore all children who present with stridor require prompt assessment to identify and treat the underlying cause. Start You can save and resume the module at any time
About this module Date launched: 01 July 2013
Valid until: 01 July 2015
Authored by: http://www.doctors.net.uk/ecme/wfrmNewIntro.aspx?moduleid=1562
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Doctors.net.uk - by doctors, for doctors
05/05/2014 11:34
Charlene McDonnell
Specialist Trainee in Anaesthetics, Northern Ireland Deanery Christopher Flannigan
National Grid Trainee in Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Conflict of interest: None declared
Medical knowledge is constantly changing. As new information becomes available, changes in treatment, procedures, equipment and the use of drugs becomes necessary. The authors and editors have, as far as it is possible, taken care to ensure that the information given in this module is accurate and up to date at the time it was created. However, users are strongly advised to confirm that the information, especially with regard to drug usage, complies with current legislation and standards of practice.
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