HEEADSSS (with a varying number of Es and Ss according to locality) is a framework to help clinicians take a psychosocial interview, usually from an adolescent. It assists us in treating an adolescent patient within their wider context, screening for a range of items from mental health to risks to the individual, both from self and externally. You don't want to miss: Tips to help you hone your general approach to the adolescent psychosocial interview - rapport is key! A detailed breakdown of eac...
Jan 20, 2021•32 min•Ep. 54
Hirschprung’s Disease, sometimes called congenital aganglionic megacolon, is the most common cause of neonatal bowel obstruction. It is due to an absence of ganglion nerve cells in the lower bowel. The absence of these cells leads to abnormal peristalsis so the aganglionic portion doesn’t relax properly, effectively causing an obstruction. You don’t want to miss: A case Differentials for neonatal bowel obstruction Explaining the condition to families An overview of the pathophysiology Aetiology ...
Jan 17, 2021•26 min•Ep. 53
The Newborn Screening Test is a quick, safe and effective way to identify babies at risk of certain serious conditions. Screening is the only way to identify affected babies early as there may be no signs or symptoms of illness at birth. By the time affected babies show symptoms, their development or health may already be impaired. Early diagnosis allows early treatment or management to prevent or reduce complications. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and ...
Jan 13, 2021•8 min•Ep. 52
G6PD deficiency is a genetic disorder where the body doesn’t have enough G6PD (aka glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) which usually functions to protect the red blood cells from normal oxidative stress. Without enough protective G6PD, the red cells haemolyse, mostly in response to certain triggers like viral illness and certain foods and medications. There is no cure for G6PD but most people with the condition can live normal lives as long as they avoid triggers, although they can often be quite...
Jan 10, 2021•32 min•Ep. 51
Impetigo is a common bacterial skin infection, characterised by blisters or vesicles which then rupture and develop a crusted lesion. It is also known as school sores, as it is so common in kids and spreads like wildfire amongst classes if not treated and general measures taken to prevent spread. It is caused by staphylococcus and group A streptococcus. Although impetigo is usually very responsive to topical or oral treatment, a number possible complications do occasionally occur, with the most ...
Jan 06, 2021•10 min•Ep. 50
Intussusception is the telescoping of a proximal segment of bowel into the more distal bowel lumen. It is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in kids aged 5 months to 3 years, and is the most common abdominal emergency in children under 2 years of age. Intussusception can present in a nonspecific manner, so it is vital for clinicians to consider it as a possibility for many types of presentations. In this episode, we discuss the various ways in which intussusception can present, and ...
Jan 03, 2021•25 min•Ep. 49
Precocious puberty is the early onset of puberty - which is prior to the age of 8 years in girls, and 9 years in boys. It is more common in girls than in boys, and it is important to remember that girls are much more likely to have idiopathic precocious puberty than boys are (boys experiencing precocious puberty are much more likely to have a pathological cause). Precocious puberty can be split into central and peripheral. Central precocious puberty is gonadotropin dependent, meaning it is trigg...
Dec 16, 2020•21 min•Ep. 48
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potential complication of prematurity, caused by development of abnormal vascularisation of the retina. The lower the birthweight and gestational age, the higher the risk of ROP. Many cases of ROP require monitoring only, but some require further management by a specialist team. You don’t want to miss: An overview of ROP and its complications How to describe ROP to a parent A quick overview of normal retinal development and the pathophysiology of ROP Risk fa...
Dec 13, 2020•12 min•Ep. 47
Summary: Hypospadias is a not uncommon finding on a the baby check of a baby boy - there will be one in every 150-350 boys who have it. It is the finding of the urethral opening situated on the ventral side of the penile shaft, with varying levels of severity. Most boys with hypospadias will require surgery to correct it. You don’t want to miss: Definition of hypospadias When to refer What other features make the finding of hypospadias more concerning than others Advice to give parents The patho...
Dec 09, 2020•10 min•Ep. 46
In clinical medicine we mostly use genetic testing to find genetic causes of a person’s symptoms (such as developmental delay), prenatal carrier testing to determine the risk of two people having a child who will have certain recessive conditions and predictive testing looking for gene mutations that increase one’s risk of developing a disease e.g. checking for BRCA mutations for breast and ovarian cancer risk. We also use it for treatment targeting e.g. looking for certain mutations in the gene...
Dec 06, 2020•28 min•Ep. 45
This mini episode covers erythema toxicum, AKA erythema toxicum neonatorum, toxic erythema of the newborn, and newborn rash. Erythema toxicum is a very common rash in newborns, especially term babies, and is benign and self resolving. In this episode, we discuss: Typical features of the newborn rash Differential diagnoses to consider How to describe newborn rash to parents Histological features of newborn rash Investigations that clinicians may consider if diagnosis if unclear Links and resource...
Dec 02, 2020•8 min•Ep. 44
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, and amongst the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting school-aged children. It is considered to be a developmental disorder of self regulation, and is characterised by inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Hyperactive and inattentive behaviours are common in children. In ADHD, these behaviours are on the end of the spectrum where they are considered developmentally inapprop...
Nov 29, 2020•20 min•Ep. 43
Breath holding spells (sometimes called breath holding attacks) are reflexive events that usually occur in a crying child from about 6 months to 6 years. They present with apnoea and bradycardia and sometimes loss of consciousness. Occasionally they can also lead to a seizure. They are quite common but can be really frightening to onlookers. They affect about 1 in 20 children. You don’t want to miss: An overview on breath-holding spells, including the difference between cyanotic and pallid spell...
Nov 25, 2020•6 min•Ep. 42
Poor growth is a really common issue in paediatrics. It used to mostly be called “failure to thrive” but we are generally moving away from this because it can be quite a distressing name for families. We say “poor growth” or “faltering growth”. Essentially “poor growth” is used to describe children who are not growing as expected. You don’t want to miss: A case Differentials for the causes of poor growth An overview of assessing poor growth, including growth charts What weight gains we can expec...
Nov 22, 2020•24 min•Ep. 41
Vulvovaginitis is a very common gynaecological condition affecting girls aged 2-8 years. Although this usually resolves by the time of puberty, there may be several itchy episodes before it gets better. You don’t want to miss: How to describe vulvovaginitis to a patient The pathophysiology of vulvovaginitis How to diagnose and treat Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-10727360763...
Nov 18, 2020•10 min•Ep. 40
Haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN) is a term that encompasses all haemorrhagic diseases found in newborn babies. In this episode, we focus on vitamin K deficiency bleeding, a significant cause of haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. You don’t want to miss: A case How to describe HDN to a patient The pathophysiology of HDN How to diagnose and treat HDN The complications of HDN Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https:...
Nov 15, 2020•27 min•Ep. 39
Balanitis (occasionally called Balanoposthitis) is an inflammation of the head of the penis (the ‘glans’), that causes red, painful and often itchy skin. It is really common. Management ranges from trigger avoidance to oral antibiotics. In this episode we discuss: An overview of what balanitis is How it presents What causes it What investigations we do How we treat it Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook....
Nov 11, 2020•11 min•Ep. 38
Biliary atresia is a surgically treatable cause of conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia encountered during the newborn period. It accounts for 50% of paediatric liver transplants. You don’t want to miss: A case How to describe biliary atresia to a parent The pathophysiology of biliary atresia - or what we know of it How to diagnose and treat The short and long term complications Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.face...
Nov 08, 2020•14 min•Ep. 37
With a few planned episodes on puberty-related disorders in the works, we take you through the normal puberty process as a baseline prior to the release of these episodes! You don’t want to miss: Some important definitions A breakdown of the physiology related to puberty The sequence of puberty Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod...
Nov 04, 2020•9 min•Ep. 36
A BRUE (Brief Resolved Unexplained Event) is an event in an infant that is characterised by a marked change in either: Breathing Tone Colour Level of responsiveness Followed by a complete return to a baseline state, and that cannot be explained by a medical cause. A BRUE is a diagnosis of exclusion. In this episode we discuss: A case Diagnostic criteria Describing the condition to a patient Differentials for BRUE The history of BRUE and "apparent life threatening events" When to investigate furt...
Nov 01, 2020•22 min•Ep. 35
Seborrhoeic dermatitis (cradle cap) is a very common but benign skin condition in younger babies under the age of 3 months. It affects 70% of babies in some way by the age of 3 months. You don’t want to miss: What cradle cap is How to explain cradle cap to a parent The pathophysiology of cradle cap How to diagnose and treat cradle cap when required Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrigh...
Oct 28, 2020•8 min•Ep. 34
1 in 20 children will have a seizure at some point in their life. Epilepsy is a diagnosis given when someone has recurrent seizures that are unprovoked. It affects 1 in 200 children. You don’t want to miss: A case How to describe epilepsy to a patient Seizure differentials Causes of seizures that you need to rule out The main types of seizures How to diagnose and treat (including seizure first aid) Complications to be aware of Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.co...
Oct 25, 2020•24 min•Ep. 33
The reflexes we cover today are the primitive neonatal reflexes that are replaced by meaningful movements usually by around 6 months of age, depending on the reflex. Listen in to find out what the neonatal reflexes are, which gestational age at which each one starts to develop, how to test for them, and when they should disappear by! Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-1072736076...
Oct 21, 2020•8 min•Ep. 32
The number of people in Australia with an eating disorder at any given time is estimated to be 913,986, or approximately 4% of the population. Of these people, 47% have binge eating disorder, 12% have bulimia nervosa, 3% have anorexia nervosa and 38% have other eating disorders. You don’t want to miss: A case An overview of the most common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder Presenting symptoms and signs Investigations Complications Management Links and ...
Oct 18, 2020•26 min•Ep. 31
Undescended testes are a common finding in neonates, affecting 1 in 20 term baby boys and up to a third of preterm baby boys. Thus, it is a high yield topic for anyone working with babies to know well. You don’t want to miss: Some statistics How to describe undescended testes to a patient How to examine a baby with possible undescended testes When to refer and when it is appropriate to wait The potential complications Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youreki...
Oct 14, 2020•9 min•Ep. 30
Summary: Necrotising enterocolitis is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in neonates. It affects predominantly premature and very low birthweight babies, and smaller babies present later than do bigger babies. You don’t want to miss: A case How to describe necrotising enterocolitis to a parent The pathophysiology of necrotising enterocolitis How to diagnose and treat necrotising enterocolitis The short and long term complications Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.i...
Oct 11, 2020•24 min•Ep. 29
Head swellings are extremely common in the newborn period. Some are pretty harmless, and some require immediate admission to the neonatal ward. Let's go through the ones you need to know: caput succedaneum, cephalhaematoma, and subgaleal haemorrhage. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don’t miss ou...
Oct 07, 2020•8 min•Ep. 28
Intravenous fluids can be daunting, and for good reason - more adverse events are reported from IV fluids than any other drug. Today we give you an overview of "how much", "how fast" and "what kind" of fluid to give in a variety of circumstances: Resuscitation Maintenance Replacement Rehydration Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpo...
Oct 04, 2020•20 min•Ep. 27
Welcome to our first mini episode! Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a common transient organism found in the GI tract, vagina and urethra. It is present in about 20% of pregnant people. Whilst not harmful to adults as it is a commensal organism, it can be very harmful to neonates. You don’t want to miss: Epidemiology How to explain GBS to a parent Investigations to consider Prevention considerations Treating the infected and unwell neonate Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.i...
Sep 28, 2020•9 min•Ep. 26
Gastroenteritis is one of the most common infective causes for paediatric presentations. Although most cases are self limiting, there are particular management considerations and red flags to consider. You don’t want to miss: A case based discussion How to describe gastroenteritis to a patient An overview of parasitic, bacterial and viral gastroenteritis Some differentiating factors between the different types of gastroenteritis How to manage a child with gastroenteritis Links and resources: Fol...
Sep 27, 2020•27 min•Ep. 25
