Background: Conjunctivitis is a frequent symptom in pediatric emergency departments; however, the etiology of conjunctivitis is difficult to clinically differentiate. Objective: Our study objective was to evaluate the test performance characteristics of leukocyte esterase (LE) test strips in diagnosing bacterial conjunctivitis. Methods: Patients aged from 3 months through 21 years presenting to an emergency department with symptoms of conjunctivitis were prospectively enrolled from September 2018 to March 2020. A swab of the affected eye was applied to the LE test strip and another swab was sent for culture processing. The primary outcome was the association between LE test results and eye culture results. Results: We enrolled 189 patients. Overall, 117 eye cultures (62%) were positive. The sensitivity and specificity of LE testing was 96% (95% CI 90-98%) and 14% (95% CI 7-25%), respectively. Positive predictive value was 64% (95% CI 57-71%) and negative predictive value was 67% (95% CI 39-87%). Conclusions: The LE test strip had limited ability to differentiate bacterial conjunctivitis from other etiologies. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVES:In adult patients with blunt trauma, severe mechanism of injury leads to routine pan-computed tomography (CT). Due to concerns about the risk of radiation, we sought to determine whether clinical suspicion could identify children requiring radiographic imaging. METHODS:A prospective study was conducted in a pediatric emergency department of a Level 1 trauma center. Patients ≤14years presenting with blunt trauma due to predefined severe mechanisms were eligible. Physicians recorded their suspicions for clinically significant injury (CSI). Imaging was obtained at the physician's discretion. CSI was defined as injury requiring intervention or hospital admission ≥24h. Both admitted and discharged patients were contacted ≥2weeks after presentation to document undetected injuries. RESULTS:837 patients were eligible; 753 were enrolled. 159 patients were excluded because the mechanism did not meet severity criteria. Follow-up was completed for 529/594 remaining patients. Physicians were suspicious of all injuries in 71/75 patients with CSI and had no suspicions in 382/454 without CSI. The 75 injured patients had 153 CSIs; positive suspicion of CSI was recorded for 149 injuries. The four patients who sustained unsuspected injuries had multiple other suspected injuries. Of the 594 patients, 42 received focused CT and 14 underwent pan-CT. No patient had previously undetected injuries on follow-up. CONCLUSION:In our study, clinical suspicion was able to identify children with CSI. If further studies support our findings, using clinical suspicion rather than mechanism alone to guide radiographic imaging may avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.

Pain is a common complaint precipitating emergency department (ED) visit, occurring in more than half of patient encounters. While opioids are effective for acute pain management in the Emergency Department (ED), the associated adverse effects, including respiratory and central nervous system depression, nausea, vomiting, and constipation, and physical manifestations of use, including tolerance, dependence and misuse leading to overdose and death, accentuate the need for non-opioid alternatives and/or multi-modal pain control. This review will provide examples of non-opioid pain management strategies and multimodal regimens for treatment of acute pain in the ED.

Background An internal hernia is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction, which can occur at any age. Children most often develop an internal hernia due to a congenital defect in the mesentery. While some patients are asymptomatic, others present to medical attention with vague abdominal symptoms, an acute abdomen, or in shock. Case Report We report a case of a 5-day-old previously healthy baby who presented to our pediatric emergency department with bilious vomiting, grossly bloody stool, and abdominal distention. During an exploratory laparotomy, the patient was diagnosed with an internal hernia caused by a congenital mesenteric defect. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Although internal hernia is an infrequent cause of intestinal obstruction in a newborn and requires emergent operative repair, it may be mistaken for other more common causes, such as necrotizing entercolitis, which are often managed medically. This case report aims to highlight some of the difficulties in diagnosis and key features that may assist the clinician in identifying these patients.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the performance of the PAWPER (Pediatric Advanced Weight Prediction in the Emergency Room) tape, a new weight-estimation tool with a modifier for body habitus, in our increasingly obese population.STUDY DESIGN:A convenience sample of children presenting to the pediatric emergency department of an urban public hospital was enrolled. A nurse or doctor assigned the patient a body habitus score and used the PAWPER tape to estimate the weight. The true weight was then recorded for comparison.The estimated weight was considered accurate if it was within 10% of the true weight.RESULTS:We enrolled 1698 patients; 579 (34%) were overweight or obese. Overall, the estimated weight was accurate for 64% of patients (95% CI 61%-65%). For children with an above-average body habitus, the tape was accurate 50% of the time (95% CI 46%-55%). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of the PAWPER tape for children assessed during medical and trauma resuscitations.CONCLUSION:Although the PAWPER tape may ultimately be useful, its initial performance was not replicated in our population. A simple, accurate method of weight estimation remains elusive.

The presentation of acute-onset hemiparesis in a teenager can be challenging and offers a wide differential diagnosis. We discuss the approach to the patient (which should begin with thorough history taking and physical examination) and advanced imaging as directed by the patient's signs and symptoms. We report the case of an otherwise well 17-year-old girl who presented to the pediatric emergency department with a 2-day history of left-sided weakness and difficulty ambulating. Her eventual diagnosis of Balo concentric sclerosis, a rare form of multiple sclerosis, is discussed.

OBJECTIVES:Most medications administered to children are weight-based, and inaccurate weight estimation may contribute to medical errors. Previous studies have been limited to hypothetical patients and those in cardiopulmonary arrest. We aim to determine the accuracy of weight estimates by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel of children receiving medications and to identify factors associated with accuracy. METHODS:EMS records of children <18 years old receiving weight-based medications were merged with EMS staffing data and hospital records. The rate of accurate weight estimates, defined as a value within 20% of the actual weight, was evaluated as the primary outcome. Factors associated with patients and prehospital personnel were also evaluated. RESULTS:29233 transports occurring during the study period were reviewed, and 199 transports of 179 children were analyzed. The average experience of EMS personnel was 35.8 months (SD ±30.7). EMS personnel accurately estimated weights in 164/199 (82.4%) patients; estimated weights were within 10.8% (SD ±10.5) of the actual weights. Underestimated weights were associated with receiving doses outside of the therapeutic range. Inaccurate weight estimates were associated with age less than 10 years or cardiopulmonary arrest. There was a trend toward inaccurate weight estimates among children who presented with seizures. CONCLUSIONS:EMS personnel are generally accurate in estimating weights of children. There was an association between underestimated weights and inaccurate medication dosing. Younger children or those presenting with seizure or cardiopulmonary arrest were more likely to have inaccurate weight estimates.

Irritability in children has a broad differential diagnosis, ranging from benign processes to life-threatening emergencies. In children with comorbid conditions and developmental delay, the diagnostic process becomes more challenging. This case report describes a developmentally delayed 14-year-old boy who presented with pain and crying caused by a malfunction of a surgically implanted baclofen pump. We describe recommendations concerning the diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and surgical repair.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG (LGG) in reducing the duration of acute infectious diarrhea in the pediatric emergency department.Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of children 6 months to 6 years presenting to the pediatric emergency department with a complaint of diarrhea. Patients were randomized to receive either placebo or LGG powder twice daily for 5 days. With each dose, parents recorded the stool history in a home diary and were followed up daily by a blinded researcher. Groups were compared in terms of time to normal stool and number of diarrheal stools.Results: Of 155 patients enrolled, 129 completed the study: 63 in the LGG group and 66 in the placebo group. There was no significant difference in the median (interquartile range) time to normal stool (LGG: 60 hours [37-111] vs placebo: 74 hours [43-120]; P = 0.37) or the number of diarrheal stools (LGG: 5.0 [1-10] vs placebo: 6.5 [2-14]; P = 0.19). Among children who presented with more than 2 days of diarrhea, the LGG group returned to normal stool earlier (LGG: 51 hours [32-78] vs placebo: 74 hours [45-120]; P = 0.02), had fewer episodes of diarrheal stools (LGG: 3.5 [1.0-7.5] vs placebo: 7 [3.0-16.3]; P = 0.02), and were 2.2 times more likely to return to normal stool (95% confidence interval, 1.3-3.9; P = 0.01) compared with children in the placebo group.Conclusions: Lactobacillus GG may reduce the duration of acute diarrheal illness among children presenting with more than 2 days of symptoms.

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Background: Efforts to enroll inner-city asthmatic children into continuity care after a pediatric emergency department (PED) visit are frequently unsuccessful. Providing parents with documentation of their child's allergic status and how this call be used to tailor ail asthma management plan may improve adherence to scheduled continuity appointments.Objective: To determine whether skin testing children during PED) visits for wheezing and providing parents with skill test results improves adherence to follow-up visits.Methods: A convenience sample of children aged 2 to 12 years with asthma who presented to the PED with wheezing were eligible. Enrolled children were randomized to group 1 (no skin test) or group 2 (skin test.). At discharge, both groups scheduled asthma clinic appointments for within 1 week. Children in group 2 underwent skin testing with standard allergens, and parents were given documentation of skin test results. Adherence was assessed by computer confirmation of the patient's asthma clinic visit.Results: Seventy-seven children were enrolled: 39 in group 1 and 38 in group 2. The mean age was 7 years; 69% had mild intermittent asthma. Twenty-four percent of children (9 of 38) in group 1 vs 46% (17 of 37) in group 2 were followed up in the asthma clinic (P < .05). Children in group 2 were 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.02-6.65) times more likely to keep appointments compared with children in group 1.Conclusions: Parents who receive evidence in the PED of their child's allergic status and probable relationship to the child's asthma are more likely to adhere to scheduled continuity visits.