THE CHILD WITH A SKIN RASH key points for approach dr Gerlant van Berlaer Pediatric section of the Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine UZ Brussel
Quiz Only 3 possible answers 1) not okay 2) okay 3) don’t know het kind met vlekjes
Ill children are ‘not okay’ Parents: More worried than usual: “ this is not my child ” or “ my child is different than otherwise when sick ” Signals of: serious bacterial infection Meningitis Dehydratation
Not okay criteria I age < 3 months fever >3 days, ‘high’ fluid balance: less drinking dry diapers vomiting /diarrhea general physical examination: fast, weak pulse tachypnea
Not okay criteria II behaviour: crying: continuously, not able to comfort weak, grinding Consciousness: apathic, lethargic, somnolent ‘beware of the quiet baby’
Not okay criteria III Neurological: Meningeal irritability (‘diaper pain’!) Convulsions typical hyperthermic convulsions Skin: colour: pale, spotted, grey, cyanotic, marbled Skin rash: May be transient May be transient petechiae [under nipples, extremities, pressured spots] petechiae [under nipples, extremities, pressured spots] blanket away, clothes off, diaper open!
Flowchart questions in case of rash Sick? Vesicles? (hairy scalp, palms & soles, age, mouth, intake) Bullae? (mechanical, burns) Skin spots? Colour? Congenital? Coherent history with lesions? Child abuse? Travels? Pruritus? Skin dihescence? Petechiae? Petechiae? Localisation? Vaccinations? Contaminated? Recently ill? Associated symptoms? Drug use? titel
‘never okay’ Worried parents, incoherent parents Very young child < 4 months Quiet child Extreme pallor, greyness, cyanosis, purpura Signals of: serious bacterial infection meningitis, lethargy dehydration fast, weak pulse tachypnea