ITP is the most common cause of symptomatic thrombocytopaenia in children, with the most common paediatric age group being 1-4 years of age. ITP is an isolated low platelet count of < 100 in an otherwise well child, with a normal blood film and FBE (aside from the thrombocytopaenia). Treatment varies from monitoring platelet count and for signs of bleeding, to steroids and IVIG. Tune into this episode to learn more! Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Faceboo...
May 30, 2021•27 min•Ep. 84
Ingested foreign bodies are most common in kids between ages 6 months and 3 years, and in children with developmental or behaviour problems. In this episode, we will be discussing foreign bodies, which are limited to the gastrointestinal tract. We will also discuss high risk foreign bodies - such as button batteries - and what needs to be done about those. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323...
May 27, 2021•17 min•Ep. 83
Sickle cell disease is an inherited abnormality of haemoglobin (which is the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells). It is characterised by red blood cells changing shape to become sickle (or crescent)-shaped which then causes them to block tiny blood vessels causing ischaemia and also makes them more prone to haemolysing, causing anaemia. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our ...
May 23, 2021•28 min•Ep. 82
GAS pharyngitis is associated with a few important complications. They are usually divided in suppurative and non-suppurative - i.e. purulent and non purulent complications. The main non-suppurative complications are post-strep glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic fever (which we did an episode on recently). A couple of the serious suppurative complications to be aware of is a peritonsillar or retropharyngeal abscess. In general, antibiotics are over-prescribed for pharyngitis. Australian guid...
May 19, 2021•9 min•Ep. 81
Galactosemia is an autosomal recessive metabolic condition that alters the body's ability to metabolise galactose, which is a type of sugar. This leads to a build up of galactose and some other metabolites, which then build up in the tissues, causing issues with the liver, brain, kidneys, eyes and other organs. It is a fatal condition if not treated. The mainstay of treatment is eliminating galactose from the diet, and monitoring for complications with a multidisciplinary team. In this episode, ...
May 16, 2021•18 min•Ep. 80
With special guest - Dr. Emily Mogridge, surgical resident. Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency - a torted testicle is only viable for 4-6 hours, before the viability drops dramatically. The most common cause is the bellclapper deformity, where the testicle is not fixed properly within the scrotum. You don't want to miss: A case base discussion Explaining the condition to families Presenting features of testicular torsion Important examination findings Complications Management Links and r...
Apr 26, 2021•20 min•Ep. 79
We want to do some episodes on antibiotics coming up but thought it would be useful to do an episode about the basics of bacteria first so we can understand exactly what we are dealing with! Today we will touch on: How we name bacteria Bacteria morphology Gram staining Growth requirements (aerobic vs anaerobic) Haemolytic properties Coagulase production Lactose fermenting vs non fermenting Serotyping Genetic testing Antibiotics resistance...
Apr 21, 2021•18 min•Ep. 78
Torus fractures, often referred to as buckle fractures, are a common type of fracture found in kids under the age of 10. They usually occur in the distal metaphysis, where the bone is most porous, most often after a fall onto outstretched hand (FOOSH). The most common affected bone is the radius. An X-ray can confirm the diagnosis, although sometimes, the buckling of the cortex is quite subtle. You don't want to miss: A case based discussion about buckle fractures Differential diagnosis Pathophy...
Apr 18, 2021•12 min•Ep. 77
Urticaria is a very common rash - it affects up to 25% of people in their lifetime. Although urticaria is most commonly associated amongst the population with allergies, in 50% of cases, a cause is not identified, and the most common cause of urticaria aside from being idiopathic is viral illnesses. Acute urticaria refers to urticaria that has lasted less than 6 weeks. Once the rash has been around for over 6 weeks, it's referred to as chronic urticaria. This episode focuses on acute urticaria. ...
Apr 14, 2021•17 min•Ep. 76
Acute rheumatic fever is a rare multisystem disease caused by a delayed autoimmune response to a recent untreated or inadequately treated Group A streptococcus infection (mainly from “strep throat” but can also be from group a strep skin infections). The signs of acute rheumatic fever include: Arthritis Fever Carditis Rash Sydenham’s chorea Subcutaneous nodules Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is y...
Apr 11, 2021•30 min•Ep. 75
The age at which a person becomes an ‘adult’ in Australia is 18 years. Consent for the medical treatment of patients less than 18 years of age is generally provided by parents. However, there are circumstances in which patients under the age of 18 can consent to their own medical treatment, which we will talk about in this episode! Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com ...
Apr 07, 2021•14 min•Ep. 74
Osteomyelitis is more common in children than it is in adults. Although it can present quite subtly to begin with, it is an important differential to keep in mind. The median age of affected children is 6 years, and cases are usually haematogenous in origin. Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment, but in some cases, surgical debridement or even amputation may be required, usually in missed or chronic cases. Long bones are much more likely to be affected than are short bones - and as part of t...
Apr 04, 2021•21 min•Ep. 73
Hydrocoeles in babies are a common finding - up to 1 in 10 boys have one at birth! The pathogenesis is similar to that of inguinal hernias - the failure of the processus vaginalis to close following the descent of the testes. However in hydrocoeles, only fluid descends through the processus vaginalis, no other abdominal content. Most of the time, hydrocoeles will resolve on their own, but the likelihood of resolution if still present at 15 months is low. You don't want to miss: Pathophysiology o...
Mar 31, 2021•13 min•Ep. 72
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH, occasionally called pseudotumour cerebri or benign intracranial hypertension) is a condition characterised by features of raised intracranial pressure without any other cause identified. The main complication is progressive vision loss. In this episode we discuss presentation, diagnosis and treatment. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpo...
Mar 29, 2021•25 min•Ep. 71
We use midazolam a lot for procedural sedation in kids. It is a benzodiazepine medication. It has sedative, anxiolytic and amnesic effects - i.e. if it works well, it usually makes the patient a bit sleepy, less anxious, and they often don’t remember the procedure. It does NOT have analgesic effects, so you will often use some kind of analgesia for painful procedures. Tune in to learn more about this commonly used medication - how we use it, when we use it and what we like and don't like about i...
Mar 24, 2021•15 min•Ep. 70
Constipation is a very common presentation in children - 1 in 3 children will have constipation at some point. Most kids pass a soft bowel action at least once every 2-3 days. Most cases of constipation are functional constipation, but there are a number of important differentials to consider. Treatment takes at least as long as the child has been constipated and requires a multi step approach to get on top of! You don't want to miss: A case based discussion Important causes of constipation Path...
Mar 21, 2021•27 min•Ep. 69
Inguinal hernias are an important differential for hydrocoeles in baby boys - but don't be fooled, they do less commonly occur in girls too. They are caused by a persistent processus vaginalis, which usually closes in the 28th week of gestation once the testes have gone through in boys. Every patient with an inguinal hernia requires review by a paediatric surgeon as management is operative - either to correct a strangulated hernia if it's picked up late, or to prevent a strangulated hernia. You ...
Mar 17, 2021•11 min•Ep. 68
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer. It is a blood cancer in which the cells that normally develop into lymphocytes mutate and become cancerous and rapidly replace normal cells in the bone marrow. People may have symptoms, such as fever, weakness, and paleness, because they have too few normal blood cells. Full blood count and film and a bone marrow evaluation are done for diagnosis. Chemotherapy is given and is often effective. Links and resources: Follow us on Ins...
Mar 14, 2021•21 min•Ep. 67
The glasgow coma scale is used all the time to assess the level of consciousness of a patient (especially for those with acute head injury). We give a patient a score out of 15 depending on their motor response, their verbal response and the eye response. There are 6 possible points for motor, 5 for voice and 4 for eyes. The higher the score, the better the level of consciousness in the patient. There is a version we can use for pre verbal kids under 2. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightd...
Mar 03, 2021•8 min•Ep. 66
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough and the 100 day cough, is caused by a bacterial infection. The usual pathogen is Bordetella pertussis, but can also be Bordetella parapertussis. Vaccinations worldwide have overall decreased mortality – prior to vaccination, pertussis was the leading cause of death from communicable disease among US children <14 years old. Classically, children with pertussis present with coryzal symptoms for about a week, known as the catarrhal phase, followed by a dry...
Feb 28, 2021•18 min•Ep. 65
Bradycardia during sleep is a physiological phenomenon related to increased vagal tone. In the absence of red flags, it does not require investigation. You don’t want to miss: Why bradycardia in sleep happens Explaining the condition to families Red flags to watch for and when to investigate Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SU...
Feb 24, 2021•8 min•Ep. 64
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most common inborn error of metabolism. It is an autosomal recessive condition caused by a disorder of metabolism of an amino acid called phenylalanine. It leads to build up of phenylalanine in the body which can have serious effects on brain development. Children with PKU can grow and develop normally, if they are carefully monitored and given a diet low in phenylalanine. You don’t want to miss: A case Explaining the condition to families Statistics Aetiology Presen...
Feb 21, 2021•19 min•Ep. 63
Intraosseous access is a type of vascular access that you get through inserting the needle directly into the bone, aiming for the medullary cavity. You get IO access as an alternative to Intravenous access in situations where IV access is not practical or will take too long e.g. a shocked patient who is peripherally shut down. The bone is luckily a non collapsible option! Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingright.pod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our em...
Feb 17, 2021•15 min•Ep. 62
Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a common, almost expected, phenomenon in babies, and usually resolves by 18 months of age. Although babies may posset (fancy word for a small vomit) frequently, they still gain weight and look like happy, healthy babies. Conversely, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is where the reflux has gone a step further, and complications such as poor growth and oesophagitis have kicked in. So what can we do about it? Listen to this episode to find out! You don’t want to miss: ...
Feb 14, 2021•20 min•Ep. 61
Growing pains are the most common cause of recurrent musculoskeletal pain in children. It affects 10–20% of children, with peak incidence between age 4 and 12 yr. It's important to be aware of red flags in presentation that should make you consider other differentials. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingright.pod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don’...
Feb 10, 2021•4 min•Ep. 60
Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with benign and occasionally malignant nerve tumours. NF1 is caused by a gene mutation on chromosome 17 which encodes neurofibromin. NF1 is associated with optic nerve tumours, neurofibromas, freckling of the groin and axilla, cafe au lait spots, skeletal abnormalities and lisch nodules in the iris. You don’t want to miss: A case Explaining the condition to families Statistics Aetiology Presentation Complications Investigation...
Feb 07, 2021•23 min•Ep. 59
Summary: Colic is an outdated term for a normal developmental stage in an infant's life. The acronym PURPLE crying describes the features Peak of crying – peak at 2 months, less in months 3-5, Unexpected, Resists soothing, Pain-like face, Long lasting, and Evening. Although a normal phenomenon for infants, PURPLE crying is highly distressing for parents and therefore it is vital to check in with parents and consider admission for those at extreme exhaustion. The mainstay for management is educat...
Feb 03, 2021•27 min•Ep. 58
Summary: DiGeorge syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the deletion of a chunk of genes on chromosome 22 (specifically the q11.2 region). The classic triad of DiGeorge syndrome is cardiac anomalies, underdeveloped thymus gland and hypocalcaemia (secondary to underdevelopment of the parathyroid glands). The phenotype of DiGeorge syndrome is related to abnormal development of the embryonic pharyngeal pouch system, which is responsible for the development of the thymus, parathyroid gland, some...
Jan 31, 2021•22 min•Ep. 57
Developmental milestones are a huuuuge part of general paediatrics. Briefly, developmental milestones are a set of skills that most infants will attain by a certain age. They can be broadly categorised into gross motor, fine motor, language and social. Today we will discuss what milestones 6 week olds should be attaining, plus we will also touch on typical feeding, sleep, wet and dirty nappies, growth and other some common issues that you might be asked about by families. Follow us on Instagram ...
Jan 27, 2021•17 min•Ep. 56
With special guest - Alice Bleathman, dietitian Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated disorder where gluten in food triggers an immune response that results in damage to the small intestine. The presentations varies but often includes poor growth, gastrointestinal symptoms and micronutrient deficiencies from malabsorption. You don’t want to miss: A case Differentials for chronic diarrhoea Explaining the condition to families An overview of the pathophysiology Aetiology Presentation Complications...
Jan 24, 2021•41 min•Ep. 55
