Notes on Pediatrics

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Patterns of childhood illnesses 


 UK
 Developing countries
Most common causes of childhood death: 

  • Malignant neoplasms
  • Accidents (school aged - road accidents) 
  • Congenital malformations


Under 5s death per 1000: 7 
Most common causes of childhood death: 

  • Pneumonia
  • Preterm birth complications
  • Diarrhoea
  • Birth asphyxia 
  • Malaria
Under 5s death per 1000: up to 150 +


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs178/en/

What do children present with at a GPs? 
  1. Respiratory infection 
  2. Ears
  3. Asthma
  4. Skin
  5. Eyes
  6. Diarrhoea/Vomiting
Congenital diseases are rare
An average GP will see a new case of 
Pyloric stenosis in 4 years
Downs syndrome in 16 years
Turner's syndrome in 60 years
Hirschsprung's in 600 years

What do children present with in hospital?

  1. Asthma
  2. Upper respiratory tract infection
  3. Viral infection
  4. Bronchiolitis
  5. Gastroenteritis
  6. Febrile convulsion
  7. Pneumonia
  8. Vomiting
  9. Breathing difficulties
  10. Failure to thrive
  11. Meningitis
  12. UTI
  13. Otitis Media
  14. Constipation 
  15. Pyloric stenosis 
  16. Others 

Respiratory problems cause 57% of admissions, and infective illnesses cause 44%

- hospital admissions can be very distressing for children especially those between 1-4 due to a lack of understanding of being separated from his/her parents temporarily. 

Social aspects
Children in lower socialeconomic classes are more likely to have higher morbidity and mortality rates. 
40% of all births are outside of marriage, 50 % of these have parents who live together. 
23% of children live in single parent families. 
Home factors which affect children's health and developments include: 
  • Parental discord 
    • Quarrelling
    • Separation and divorce
    • Domestic violence
  • Parental illness
  • Inability to cope with parenting
  • Abuse
  • Financial hardship
All children need: 
  • Self Esteem - to feel wanted
  • Good human relationship - trust and feel trusted
  • Firm supervision and clear boundaries (consistency)
Taken from : Paediatrics Lecture Notes , Simon J Newell, Jonathan C Darling. 


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