Whether you’re stretched out on a beach chair, posted up poolside, or just catching some late-summer sun in your backyard, here are a few quick reads worth dipping into this weekend. Nothing too heavy – just a few posts to sharpen your brain while you work on your tan. Each one was written by colleagues in the field who are doing great work and sharing it in ways that are smart, practical, and worth your time.
Dr. Brad Sobolewski summarizes a recent, important multicenter retrospective study looking at how long we should be observing children after receiving epi. At CHOP, our practice is 4 hours, but this study suggests that it may be safe, for a certain subset of patients, to cut this time down considerably. Those on the PEM listserv may remember a lively discourse following the publication of this study.
A thorough review on the unique nature of chest trauma in kids, complete with very useful and visually appealing infographics. These cases can be tricky, but the authors of this post give a thorough summary of how to prepare for these patients, when to image, and how to manage them.
Ahh, the neuro exam. It’s a little like a signature cocktail – everyone has their own twist on the classic recipe. This post reviews the meaning of and the proper technique for an important part (the bitters? the olive?) of the exam. For those that enjoy medical history, the post includes an intriguing timeline (skip if you’re already familiar with the classic 1846 book Lehrbuch der Nervenkrankheiten).
Dr. Joshua Belfer, MD, is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of HipPEMcrates. He can be reached at HipPEMcrates@gmail.com.
