Pediatric emergencies are a subspecialty of emergency medicine and include different medical situations that require immediate care for children and adolescents. Because these situations can occur at any time, a pediatrician is available in the emergency area 24 hours a day.
What are pediatric emergencies
Pediatric emergencies may occur due to accidents, sudden illnesses, or the acute worsening of a chronic condition. Because pediatric patients have unique anatomical, psychological, and physiological characteristics, their medical management differs from that of adults.
These differences include having an immature immune system, narrower airways, and a larger body surface area relative to body weight, which allows diseases to progress more rapidly in children and, therefore, potentially become more severe.
Another important consideration is that children are often unable to clearly express their symptoms or pain, which complicates accurate clinical assessment.
There are various types of pediatric emergencies depending on their nature:
- Trauma: children are prone to accidents such as falls, fractures, burns, or head injuries due to curiosity or physical activity.
- Infections: infections can occur in multiple areas, some more severe than others, including respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, or urinary tract infections.
- Respiratory problems: breathing difficulties are common in childhood, appearing as viral infections or asthma attacks.
- Seizures: seizures may be triggered by several factors, such as high fever (febrile seizures), epilepsy, or metabolic disorders.
- Poisonings: young children may ingest toxic substances such as medications, cleaning products, or plants due to natural curiosity.
What happens in pediatric emergency care
Care provided by the pediatric emergency specialist follows a structured protocol designed to meet children’s unique needs. This process typically includes several stages:
- Initial evaluation: upon arrival, a rapid assessment is performed to determine the severity of the condition using a pediatric triage system or pediatric assessment triangle to evaluate vital signs and general clinical impression.
- Treatment and stabilization: after triage, the priority is to stabilize the patient. This may include administering oxygen, intravenous fluids, or medications to control symptoms.
- Diagnosis: once initial stabilization is achieved, diagnostic tests may be performed to identify the underlying cause. These may include X-rays, blood tests, CT scans, or electrocardiograms, depending on the clinical suspicion.
- Disposition: after reaching a diagnosis and depending on treatment response, the child may be discharged or transferred to intensive care, surgery, or another specialty area.
Because an emergency situation can take multiple possible courses, it is important to work collaboratively with the hospital’s pediatrics department, in addition to receiving specialized pediatric emergency nursing care trained to understand the specific characteristics of pediatric patients.
Pediatric assessment triangle
The pediatric assessment triangle (triage) is a rapid evaluation tool used in emergency care to determine a child’s stability within seconds, a crucial time in emergency situations.
Based on observations, clinicians can determine whether a child is critically ill, stable, or at imminent risk of deterioration.
Triage includes three key components:
- Appearance: provides insights into neurological and cardiovascular status. It assesses alertness, interaction appropriate for age, muscle tone, and response to stimuli.
- Breathing effort: this assesses whether there is respiratory distress and whether signs are present such as retractions, which are the inward pulling of the muscles between the ribs during breathing; nasal flaring; noisy breathing with stridor or wheezing; or the use of accessory muscles, which are the muscles between the ribs.
- Circulation: examines skin perfusion as an indicator of circulatory status. Pallor, cyanosis, or delayed capillary refill may indicate shock or severe cardiovascular compromise.
Pediatric triage is performed without medical equipment and provides an immediate picture of the child’s condition, often determining prognosis.
Given all these factors, pediatric emergencies require fast, efficient, and specialized care.
Pediatric emergency doctor near me
At ABC Medical Center’s Emergency Department, we have a team of highly trained pediatric emergency specialists dedicated to providing comprehensive and personalized care for all pediatric emergencies.
Our pediatric emergency physicians in Mexico City are committed to your child’s well-being and use the latest technology and advanced treatments to manage conditions such as trauma, poisoning, respiratory problems, and more.
