Penetrating neck injuries in children are rare—but when they happen, the stakes are high. In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, we explore the clinical pearls behind “no-zone” management, how to distinguish hard and soft signs, when to image versus operate, and why airway always comes first. Get ready for a focused, evidence-based deep dive into pediatric neck trauma.
Concussions are nothing to mess around about - and sometimes you don't know you have one until a bit later. So a conservative plan involves resting until symptoms improve and following up with your doctor. No one knows if listening to "bro country" worsens symptoms.
Dog bites are unfortunately common in the Emergency Department. Remembering which ones to suture for cosmetic concerns while assuring we reduce the risk of infections is important. Also, most should get antibiotics. Which one? Dogmentin! (It's a portmanteau of Dog and Augmentin)...
Cervical Spine Injuries are fortunately rare in children. this episode is all about learning when to suspect them, how to immobilize the C-spine properly, and which imaging test to choose. It was inspired by a hot-off-the-presses publication from the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) focused on clinical decision rules for cervical spine imaging in children.
Bladder rupture is a rare but serious injury seen in blunt abdominal trauma in children
Commotio cordis is caused by the blunt impact of a hard object directly over the heart occurring during a specific window of ventricular repolarization leading to immediate collapse, ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac arrest. This episode focuses on risk factors and management of this rare but catastrophic injury.
I think it's amazing that the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network has been turned into a verb. As in, "I PEACARN'ed that kid with the head injury and we don't need a CT." This is one of the most widely used tools in our arsenal when caring for injured children in the ED.
Concussions and closed head injuries are incredibly common in the Pediatric Emergency Department and in general Emergency Department, especially as we head into fall contact sports season. In this episode, featuring Brielle Stanton, MD, a Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellow from The UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, you will learn how to differentiate clinically important traumatic brain injuries from milder trauma - specifically when to get a CT, and how to diagnose and manage concussions.
3% hypertonic saline is a critical treatment for children with elevated intracranial pressure. Learn about how to administer this crucial medication with a focus on the evidence behind its use.
I'm working Christmas Day this year and I probably won't see any of these injuries - but you never know, the Emergency Department can be an unpredictable place. Let's take a look at some of the calamities that befell the outmatched wet bandits from the holiday classic from John Hughes.
