One of the most common manifestations of disease, fever in children remains controversial, misunderstood, and often is thought to be mysterious. The clinician always should realize that fever is not a disease itself, but a manifestation of a number of different disease processes. Because there are substantial differences in the cause and outcome of fever-generating illnesses in children of different ages, the discussion must consider age. Not surprisingly, there is a diversity of approaches to fever.
The emergency department physician is continually challenged to identify children who may have sustained an injury secondary to abuse. Reaching a balance between protecting a child from possible harm and putting a family through the ordeal of an unwarranted investigation is challenging. This article reviews the common patterns of injury that should raise concern for abuse.
Acute renal failure, characterized by sudden loss of the ability of the kidneys to excrete waste, concentrate urine, conserve electrolytes, and maintain fluid balance, is a frequent clinical problem.
In this study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Duckro and colleagues carried out a careful molecular epidemiologic study of the transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) to the hands of health care workers from both intact skin areas of VRE-colonizes patients and various environ mental surfaces in the patients vicinity.
