Injuries & Emergencies Archives - Nemours Blog

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Injuries & Emergencies

Angels in Scrubs: Kimberly’s Story

When Kimberly’s son was 4 years old, he ran to answer the phone—his favorite uncle was calling. As he ran into the carpeted family room, he tripped and fell, head-first into the brick fireplace. Kimberly says, “As we know, head lacerations bleed profusely. However, being my first child, having his first major injury, and being pregnant with my second child, I was an absolute mess. My training First Aid Training from being in the fire service went right out the window, as it was now my child injured.” Within all her panic, Kimberly immediately knew the best care for her child and knew exactly where to take him. “Born and raised in Philadelphia and moving to Delaware in my teens, I always heard about Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. ‘Take your child to Nemours Children’s’ ‘Nemours is the best,’ but I never had to go there myself, so I had no […]

When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain by Thomas Craig Edwards, MD | Promise, powered by Nemours Children's Health

When Your Child Has Chest Pain

When your child complains of chest pain, it’s natural to jump to heart-related conclusions. But most cases of chest pain in children aren’t caused by cardiac conditions. It can sometimes be hard to get a clear description of your child’s chest pain, but symptoms usually include: Tightness. Discomfort. Burning sensation. Pain when taking deep breaths. Coughing. Wheezing. So what should you do? Make an appointment with your child’s primary care physician, and keep in mind that chest pain in children is usually not heart-related. Chest pain can often be attributed to one or more of the following: Gastroesophogeal reflux disease, or ongoing heartburn Pain or inflammation in the chest wall Asthma Pneumonia Stress or anxiety Injury Viral illness Heading to the hospital is absolutely necessary in some situations. Seek emergency care if: Exercise brings about chest pain, or makes it worse. Chest pain occurs with rapid or irregular heartbeat. Fainting or […]

Trouble Breathing During Exercise -- It’s Not Always Asthma, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Trouble Breathing During Exercise — It’s Not Always Asthma

What Is Vocal Cord Dysfunction? When a pre-teen or teenager experiences trouble breathing while exercising or playing a sport, many doctors and parents are quick to diagnose the child with asthma. But in some cases, it’s not asthma at all — it’s vocal cord dysfunction, a condition that occurs when the vocal cords do not open correctly. The symptoms of the condition are very similar to asthma, with a child experiencing difficulty breathing or coughing and wheezing. The difference, however, is that vocal cord dysfunction doesn’t improve with a rescue inhaler or a prescription steroid. And for some children, the condition is never diagnosed because, frustrated and distressed, the child quits the activity. But the good news is that vocal cord dysfunction can be diagnosed and treated with the correct therapy. Understanding the Symptoms “Children with vocal cord dysfunction often describe tightness as you’d find in asthma, but opposed to […]

PICU Basics and Preventing Post Intensive Care Syndrome

PICU Basics and Preventing Post Intensive Care Syndrome

If your child is seriously ill and needs a very high level of medical care, they may be sent to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The PICU is different from other parts of the hospital; it is designed for intensive nursing care and helps for constant monitoring of things like your child’s heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. PICU Basics Your child may be put into the PICU for the following reasons:  Severe breathing problems from asthma Serious infections Certain types of heart conditions Complications of diabetes Post care for major surgery Experienced a serious accident While in the PICU, you and your child will meet many different members of their medical team. This care team includes: Doctors (often called Attending Physicians), Residents, Fellows and Medical students Nurses Respiratory, Occupational, Physical,  and Speech Therapists Pharmacists Nutritionists Social Workers, Child Life Specialists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists Children in the PICU will […]

Chest Pain in Teens: When to Worry

Chest Pain in Teens: When to Worry

Few things can cause a parent’s heart to stand still like having a teenage child complain of chest pain. Unfortunately, it’s a common complaint. According to national data from 2016, people aged 15 to 24 years comprise 14.2% of all emergency room visits and chest pain is one of the top diagnoses. Causes of Chest Pain Many people have experienced chest pain, and a variety of words are used to describe it, ranging from dull to squeezing. There are equally as many causes, the most serious of which usually involve the heart or lungs. Luckily, in teenagers, the most serious are not the most likely. Frequently, the cause of chest pain in teens is chest wall pain. The chest wall includes the skin, fat, muscles, and bones that form a protective structure around the heart, major blood vessels, lungs, and esophagus. The bones in the chest wall include the ribs, sternum (breastbone), […]

8 Common Running Injuries

8 Common Running Injuries

Running is a sport that can be done all year long. For many young athletes, running is their after school sport of choice. Runners can compete in the fall, winter and spring in cross country, run indoor/outdoor track, and train in the summer. Whether a student is running throughout the year or during a specific season, all are prone to running-specific injuries. Shin Splints One of the most common injuries for runners are shin splints, caused by inflammation in the tissues, tendons, and bones in the shin (tibia). This overuse injury can be due to new or increased training. Pain along the tibia is associated with shin splints, as well as sharp or dull and throbbing pain and mild swelling. The pain can last both during and after running, and the area hurts to touch. People with flat feet or worn-out or improper footwear are more prone to shin splints. […]

How to identify and treat eye emergencies in children, powered by Nemours Children's Health System

How to Identify and Treat Eye Emergencies in Children

Sports, toys and everyday household items have one thing in common: they can cause eye injuries in children. And in some cases, these injuries can become eye emergencies — situations that require immediate medical attention. The best way to treat eye emergencies is by preventing them in the first place. Be sure your kids use protective eyewear when engaging in sports, play only with age-appropriate toys and don’t have access to household chemicals and utensils. Still, even after you’ve taken these precautions, eye emergencies can happen. Here’s what to look for and what to do if your child experiences trauma to one or both eyes. Chemical exposure Dangerous chemicals are in nearly every area of our home, and if they’re not kept out of a child’s reach, they can cause permanent eye damage. One particularly dangerous culprit: detergent pods, whose bright colors are appealing to kids. “Children may try to […]

Is It an Emergency or Just Urgent? by Kate Cronan, MD | Promise, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Is It an Emergency or Just Urgent?

It’s a Saturday afternoon, and you’ve just watched your 8-year-old take a terrifying flip over the handlebars of his bicycle. Or, it’s dinner time on a Tuesday night, and your 2-year-old has put his peas into his nose — instead of his mouth — and now they’re stuck. Should you call your child’s regular doctor? Should you pack up and head to the Emergency Department, or seek out your nearest urgent care center? It can be a tough decision, and it doesn’t help when you’re tired, stressed, and concerned for your child’s health. In some cases, you’ll know instantly if your child requires immediate medical attention. But in other cases, it might be hard to determine whether an injury or illness needs the attention of a medical professional or can be treated at home. The first call can always be to your child’s primary care physician. Your doctor — or […]

Sudden cardiac arrest and teenage athletes | Steven Fishberger, MD | Promise: Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Teenage Athletes: What’s the Risk?

Sudden cardiac arrest is nothing new, but it still gets plenty of attention when it affects a young athlete—usually because it’s so rare, unexpected and tragic. We’re all familiar with the stories of seemingly healthy teenagers collapsing on the field or court and succumbing to cardiac arrest. It’s estimated that between 6,000 and 8,000 young people experience sudden cardiac arrest (or SCA) each year, and only about one in 10 survive. The exact causes of SCA vary widely. Abnormalities in the heart or genetic conditions are often to blame, though there are times in which a definite cause is never found. In all cases, something causes the heart to unexpectedly beat out of control or stop beating altogether. Sudden cardiac arrest is so dangerous because it’s so hard to predict. But if the symptoms are recognized immediately, lives can be saved. Symptoms of SCA include: Collapse Lack of pulse No […]

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