Pediatric rehabilitation: 1. Common medical conditions in children with disabilities

[High blood pressure during the autonomic crises in children in intensive care unit: Etiologic circumstances and modality therapeutic]

The dysautonomic (DC) or neurovegetative crisis remains an imperfectly known entity; it associates in a paroxysmal manner a reaction of sympathetic hyperreactivity that can lead to the prognosis. Our objective is to specify the etiological circumstances (DC) and their modality of treatment in pediatric intensive care unit.

MATERIALS-METHODS

Descriptive study on files of children admitted in the intensive care unit of 2010-2015 who presented a DC acquired during their hospitalization.

RESULTS

In total, 41 patients included with an average age of 56.92 months presented DC. Among the etiological circumstances Guillain-Barré syndrome and head trauma are noted. Observed symptoms occur on average at one week of admission; they are related to the consequences of DC. The manifestations are polymorphic: a systolic hypertension is present in all cases with an average PAS of 141.24±13.48mmHg, an average PAD of 86.80±11.01mmHg, a vasomotor disorder, a hyperthermia are noted. Cerebral anoxia post cardiac arrest in 4 patients preceded the onset of DC. Apart from the etiologic treatment, 39 patients were intubated with mechanical ventilation, sedated with morphinomimetic and benzodiazepine±lioresal (baclofen). Treatment of hypertension resulted in the administration of a central antihypertensive. Evolution is good in addition to 5 deaths related to neurovegetative disorders.

CONCLUSION

DC is a poorly understood situation in pediatric intensive care unit, and the circumstances of the disease are variable. The diagnosis must be made with careful consideration because the prognosis may be fatal.

Neuromuscular scoliosis

The purpose of this focused review is to provide an overview of neuromuscular scoliosis from the perspective of the rehabilitation physician. Scoliosis is a common consequence of neuromuscular diseases, including central nervous system disorders such as cerebral palsy and spinal cord injury; motor neuron disorders, for example, spinal muscular atrophy; muscle fiber disorders, for example, Duchenne muscular dystrophy; multifactorial disorders, for example, spina bifida; and many other neuropathic and myopathic conditions. Unlike adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, which is the most common form of spinal deformity, neuromuscular scoliosis is more severe and more progressive, and is associated with more morbidity. Factors that contribute to this spinal deformity include asymmetric paraplegia, imbalance of mechanical forces, intraspinal and congenital anomalies of the spine, altered sensory feedback, and abnormal posture via central pathways. Spinal deformity combined with limitations due to an underlying neuromuscular condition lead to significant physiologic impairments that affect limb movement, cardiopulmonary function, gait, standing, sitting, balance, trunk stability, bimanual activities, activities of daily living, and pain, as well as concerns with self-image and social interactions. Evaluation and management of this population requires understanding of disease progression, pulmonary status, functional limitations, indications for conservative and surgical interventions, and social considerations.

Dysautonomia after pediatric brain injury

AIM

Dysautonomia after brain injury is a diagnosis based on fever, tachypnea, hypertension, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and/or dystonia. It occurs in 8 to 33% of adults with brain injury and is associated with poor outcome. We hypothesized that children with brain injury with dysautonomia have worse outcomes and prolonged rehabilitation, and sought to determine the prevalence of dysautonomia in children and to characterize its clinical features.

METHOD

We developed a database of children (n = 249, 154 males, 95 females; mean [SD] age 11 years 10 months [5 y 7 mo]) with traumatic brain injury, cardiac arrest, stroke, infection of the central nervous system, or brain neoplasm admitted for rehabilitation to The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh between 2002 and 2009. Dysautonomia diagnosis, injury type, clinical signs, length of stay, and Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) testing were extracted from medical records, and analysed for differences between groups with and without dysautonomia.

RESULTS

Dysautonomia occurred in 13% of children with brain injury (95% confidence interval 9.3-18.0%), occurring in 10% after traumatic brain injury and 31% after cardiac arrest. The combination of hypertension, diaphoresis, and dystonia best predicted a diagnosis of dysautonomia (area under the curve = 0.92). Children with dysautonomia had longer stays, worse WeeFIM scores, and improved less on the score's motor component (all p ≤ 0.001).

INTERPRETATION

Dysautonomia is common in children with brain injury and is associated with prolonged rehabilitation. Prospective study and standardized diagnostic approaches are needed to maximize outcomes.

Home care of children and youth with complex health care needs and technology dependencies

Children and youth with complex medical issues, especially those with technology dependencies, experience frequent and often lengthy hospitalizations. Hospital discharges for these children can be a complicated process that requires a deliberate, multistep approach. In addition to successful discharges to home, it is essential that pediatric providers develop and implement an interdisciplinary and coordinated plan of care that addresses the child's ongoing health care needs. The goal is to ensure that each child remains healthy, thrives, and obtains optimal medical home and developmental supports that promote ongoing care at home and minimize recurrent hospitalizations. This clinical report presents an approach to discharging the child with complex medical needs with technology dependencies from hospital to home and then continually addressing the needs of the child and family in the home environment.