managing paediatric illness
Sonya Lane
Unit 2: Managing Paediatric Illness and Injury.
Accidents will happen however careful you carry out risk assessments and supervise children. That is why it is recommended that practitioners take a first aid course. There has to be at least one first aider present at all registered settings.
The aims of first aid are often remembered as the three p’s, these are:
Preserve Life.
Prevent the condition from worsening.
Promote recovery.
Sometimes first aid is all that is necessary- for instance, common minor injuries such as grazes can be treated sufficiently. However, it is important to recognise when medical assistance is required urgently. Whenever you are dealing with an accident, incident or illness you must stay calm. You should reassure casualties, and children who are bystanders, as they may be frightened. You should ensure that you and others are not put at unnecessary risk. Think through your actions carefully and make safety your priority.
Major fractures are often associated with other injuries and priorities must be set in each patient. Control of internal concealed haemorrhage, for example, from a ruptured spleen, takes precedence over fracture management.
It is, however, important in severely injured patients that open fractures are managed as early as possible. The advantages of this approach include diminished risk of infection, reduction in pain, early ability to sit upright with improved respiratory function, reduced continuing blood loss, and improved healing of soft tissue injuries and a reduced incidence of fat embolism.
Initial assessment.
Primary survey- the ABCDE’s of the primary survey should be assessed. Haemorrhage from a musculoskeletal injury should be identified and controlled with direct pressure. It is important to recognise that significant amounts of blood may be lost from fractures of the pelvis or femur and haemodynamic instability from hypovolemia may be present.
Physical examination is carried out while
Unit 2: Managing Paediatric Illness and Injury.
Accidents will happen however careful you carry out risk assessments and supervise children. That is why it is recommended that practitioners take a first aid course. There has to be at least one first aider present at all registered settings.
The aims of first aid are often remembered as the three p’s, these are:
Preserve Life.
Prevent the condition from worsening.
Promote recovery.
Sometimes first aid is all that is necessary- for instance, common minor injuries such as grazes can be treated sufficiently. However, it is important to recognise when medical assistance is required urgently. Whenever you are dealing with an accident, incident or illness you must stay calm. You should reassure casualties, and children who are bystanders, as they may be frightened. You should ensure that you and others are not put at unnecessary risk. Think through your actions carefully and make safety your priority.
Major fractures are often associated with other injuries and priorities must be set in each patient. Control of internal concealed haemorrhage, for example, from a ruptured spleen, takes precedence over fracture management.
It is, however, important in severely injured patients that open fractures are managed as early as possible. The advantages of this approach include diminished risk of infection, reduction in pain, early ability to sit upright with improved respiratory function, reduced continuing blood loss, and improved healing of soft tissue injuries and a reduced incidence of fat embolism.
Initial assessment.
Primary survey- the ABCDE’s of the primary survey should be assessed. Haemorrhage from a musculoskeletal injury should be identified and controlled with direct pressure. It is important to recognise that significant amounts of blood may be lost from fractures of the pelvis or femur and haemodynamic instability from hypovolemia may be present.
Physical examination is carried out while