COMMON PEDIATRIC DISEASES

Area of Exposure: Pediatric / Miscellaneous Ward

Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital
MENINGITIS
Is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes (meninges)
surrounding your brain and spinal cord.

2 Common Types

Bacterial meningitis
Bacteria that enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain and spinal
cord cause acute bacterial meningitis. But it can also occur when
bacteria directly invade the meninges. This may be caused by an ear or
sinus infection, a skull fracture, or — rarely — some surgeries.

Viral Meningitis
Usually mild and often clears on its own. Most cases are caused by a
group of viruses known as enteroviruses, which are most common in the
late summer and early fall.
 MENINGITIS
Several strains of bacteria can cause acute bacterial meningitis, most commonly:

•Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). This bacterium is the most common

cause of bacterial meningitis in infants, young children and adults in the United States.
It more commonly causes pneumonia or ear or sinus infections.

•Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus). These bacteria commonly cause an upper

respiratory infection but can cause meningococcal meningitis when they enter the
bloodstream. This is a highly contagious infection that affects mainly teenagers and
young adults.

•Haemophilus influenzae (haemophilus). Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

bacterium was once the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children. But
new Hib vaccines have greatly reduced the number of cases of this type of meningitis.

•Listeria monocytogenes (listeria). These bacteria can be found in unpasteurized

cheeses, hot dogs and lunchmeats. Pregnant women, newborns, older adults and
people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible. Listeria can cross the
placental barrier, and infections in late pregnancy may be fatal to the baby.
MENINGITIS: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Newborns and infants may show these signs: In anyone older than the age of 2 include:

High fever Sudden high fever

Constant crying Stiff neck
Excessive sleepiness or irritability Severe headache that seems different from
Difficulty waking from sleep normal
Inactivity or sluggishness Headache with nausea or vomiting
Not waking to eat Confusion or difficulty concentrating
Poor feeding Seizures
Vomiting Sleepiness or difficulty waking
A bulge in the soft spot on top of a baby's head Sensitivity to light
(fontanel) No appetite or thirst
Stiffness in the body and neck Skin rash (sometimes, such as in meningococcal
meningitis)
MENINGITIS: MANAGEMENT
Diagnostic Test Treatment
•Blood cultures. A blood sample is placed in a special Bacterial:
dish to see if it grows microorganisms, particularly
-Intravenous Antibiotics
bacteria. A sample may also be placed on a slide and
stained (Gram's stain), then studied under a microscope
to see whether bacteria are present. Viral:
•Imaging. Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic
-Bed rest
resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the head may show
swelling or inflammation. X-rays or CT scans of the
-Plenty of fluids
chest or sinuses also may show infection that may be -Over-the-counter pain medications to help
associated with meningitis. reduce fever and relieve body aches
•Spinal tap (lumbar puncture). For a definitive
diagnosis of meningitis, you'll need a spinal tap to
collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In person with *Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce
meningitis, the CSF often shows a low sugar (glucose) swelling in the brain, and an anticonvulsant medication
level along with an increased white blood cell count and to control seizures.
increased protein. *If a herpes virus caused your meningitis, an antiviral
medication is available.
BRONCHIAL ASTHMA (REACTIVE AIRWAY DISEASE)
Is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra
mucus triggered by physical and chemical irritants such dust mites, pollens, pets,
tobacco smoke, exercise and stress.

Common Signs and Symptoms

Management

• Identify and avoid asthma triggers

• Avoid excessive activities and
sudden change of temperature.
• Always bring your rescue inhalers.
• Take medication as prescribed
(bronchodilators, corticosteroid)
• Oxygen and Nebulization Therapy.
RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE
Children who get repeated
strep throat infections are at the
most risk for rheumatic fever
and rheumatic heart disease.
Is a condition in which the heart valves have been permanently damaged by rheumatic fever.
This type of fever is caused by a group A streptococcal infection.
Rheumatic fever can occur at any age, but usually occurs in children ages 5 to 15 years old.
Common Signs and Symptoms Management
• Fever
• Swollen, tender, red and extremely • Preventive and prophylactic therapy
painful joints-particularly the knees and (antibiotics) to prevent further
ankles
damage to valves.
• Nodules (lumps under the skin)
•
• Blood & Diagnostic Test (ECG,
Red, raised, lattice-like rash, usually on
Echocardiogram, Cardiac MRI etc.)
the chest, back, and abdomen
• Shortness of breath and chest discomfort. • Anti-inflammatory medications.
• Uncontrolled movements of arms, legs, or • Surgery- to repair or replace the
facial muscles valves that are impacted.
• Weakness
TETRALOGY OF FALLOT
Is a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at
birth (congenital), which affect the structure of the heart, causes oxygen-poor blood
to flow out of the heart and to the rest of the body. 

Common Signs and Symptoms

• A bluish coloration of the skin
• Shortness of breath and rapid breathing,
• Loss of consciousness (fainting)
• Clubbing of fingers and toes — an abnormal, rounded shape of the nail bed
• Poor weight gain
Infants and children with
• Easily get tired
tetralogy of Fallot usually have
• Irritability
blue-tinged skin because their
• Prolonged crying
blood doesn't carry enough
• A heart murmur
oxygen.
 4 ABNORMALITIES THAT MAKE UP TETRALOGY OF FALLOT
Pulmonary valve stenosis is a
narrowing of the pulmonary
valve — the valve that
separates the lower right
chamber of the heart (right
ventricle) from the main blood
vessel leading to the lungs
(pulmonary artery).
Ventricular septal defect is a hole
(defect) in the wall (septum) that
separates the two lower chambers of the
heart — the left and right ventricles. The
hole allows deoxygenated blood in the
right ventricle — blood that has
circulated through the body and is
returning to the lungs to replenish its
oxygen supply — to flow into the left
ventricle and mix with oxygenated blood
fresh from the lungs.
Over-riding Aorta where the
aorta is shifted slightly to the right
and lies directly above the
ventricular septal defect.
-In this position the aorta receives
blood from both the right and left
ventricles, mixing the oxygen-
poor blood from the right ventricle
with the oxygen-rich blood from
the left ventricle.
Right ventricular
hypertrophy, when the heart's
pumping action is overworked, it
causes the muscular wall of the
right ventricle to thicken. Over
time this might cause the heart to
stiffen, become weak and
eventually fail.
 MANAGEMENT OF TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

• Diagnostic Test (ECG, Echocardiogram, Cardiac

MRI etc.)
• Oxygen Therapy
• Medications as prescribed.
• Cardiac Catheterization
• Surgery is the only effective treatment for
tetralogy of Fallot. Surgical options
include intra-cardiac repair or a
temporary procedure that uses a shunt.
NEPHROTIC SYNDROME
-Kidney disorder that causes your body to pass too much protein in your urine.

-Usually caused by damage to the clusters of small blood vessels in your kidneys
that filter waste and excess water from your blood.

Management

-Reduction of salt intake for those with

persistent edema.
-Limit oral fluid intake.
-Control of Infection
-Anticoagulant Therapy
 PEDIATRIC ACUTE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Occurs when tiny tubes in kidneys (glomeruli) become inflamed and interfere
with kidney function.

Signs and Symptoms Management

• Strict monitoring- fluid intake,

urine output, daily weight, BP
• Fluid restriction to control edema
GLOMERULI
Are tubes that act as a filter, cleaning the and circulatory overload.
blood by separating wastes and extra fluid. • Oxygen Therapy
When the glomeruli do not function • Medications as prescribed
properly, waste products build up in blood. (Antibiotics, Diuretics)
Protein and red blood cells also can leak into • Dialysis, if no response to diuretics
urine.
HIRSCHPRUNG’S DISEASE
A condition that affects the large intestine (colon) and causes problems with
passing stool.
It is present at birth (congenital) as a result of missing nerve cells in the
muscles of the baby's colon.

Signs and Symptoms Management

Most obvious sign is a newborn's failure to have
• Diagnostic Test
a bowel movement within 48 hours after birth.
• Surgery to bypass or
• Swollen belly
• remove the diseased
Vomiting (green or brown substance)
• part of the colon is the
Constipation or gas
• treatment.
Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Antibiotics
• Failure to Thrive
 IMPERFORATED ANUS (ANORECTAL MALFORMATION)
May occur in several forms:
• The rectum may end in a pouch that does not
connect with the colon.
• The rectum may have openings to other
structures. These may include the urethra,
bladder, base of the penis or scrotum in
boys, or vagina in girls.
• There may be narrowing (stenosis) of the
anus or no anus.
Is a defect in which the opening to the anus is missing or blocked. The anus is
the opening to the rectum through which stools leave the body. This is present
from birth (congenital).
Signs and Symptoms Management
• No anal opening • Temporary Colostomy
• An anal opening in the wrong place,
such as too close to the vagina
• No stool in the first 24 to 48 hours of
life
• Stool passing through the wrong place
• A swollen abdomen
• An abnormal connection, or fistula,
between your baby’s rectum and their
reproductive system or urinary tract • Corrective Surgery
LEUKEMIA is a type of cancer that attacks cells in the bone marrow that make blood.
2 Types of Acute Leukemia

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

starts in cells that become lymphocytes -- white blood
cells that are an important part of your immune
system.
About 80% of childhood leukemia cases are this type.

Acute Myelocytic Leukemia

Begins in early myeloid cells These are cells that
become white blood cells (other than lymphocytes),
red blood cells, or platelet-making cells. It’s the most
common type of leukemia in older people.
 LEUKEMIA: ALL & AML
Common Signs and 2 Stages Of Treatment
Symptoms
The general symptoms of AML and • Induction therapy kills most of the leukemia cells in your blood and bone
marrow and lets your body make normal cells again.
ALL look very much alike.
• Consolidation therapy (post-remission therapy) destroys leukemia cells left
behind in parts of your body like the brain and spinal cord.
• Weight loss
Therapy Methods
• Fever
• Chemotherapy. Doctors use drugs to kill cancer cells. With ALL or AML,
you’ll probably stay in the hospital while you get this.
• Night sweats • Targeted therapy. These drugs target specific flaws in cancer cells that help
them grow.
• Loss of appetite • Bone marrow transplant. Doctors replace unhealthy bone marrow with
leukemia-free stem cells. This will regrow healthy bone marrow.
• Tiredness (AML) • Radiation therapy. This treatment uses high-powered beams to kill cancer
cells.
• CAR T-cell therapy. This is a type of gene therapy that's sometimes used to
treat ALL in children and young adults.