Role of pediatricians in advocating life support training courses for parents and the public

Pediatric Simulation Cases for Primary Care Providers: Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Seizure in the Office

Introduction

Although pediatric emergencies commonly occur in the outpatient setting, studies show that primary care providers often rely on hospitals or the emergency medical system to evaluate the distressed patient. This simulation-based curriculum addresses pediatric emergencies encountered by primary care providers. The cases were facilitated by faculty at an annual conference on urgent pediatric problems.

Methods

Three cases are included in this curriculum: asthma, anaphylaxis, and seizure. Each features a brief narrative description of the case, learning objectives, instructor notes, an example of the ideal flow of the scenario, and anticipated management mistakes. Also provided are tools on optimizing the simulation environment, teamwork and communication, and the debrief. Educational materials are included in the respective medical pathologies. The simulations can be run using a high- or low-fidelity mannequin.

Results

The simulations were carried out annually for 4 years with over 100 providers. Participants overall felt the curriculum was relevant to their practice in the realms of medical management and patient-provider communication.

Discussion

These simulation cases train primary care providers to recognize a decompensating patient, activate the emergency response system, and initiate appropriate treatment for acutely ill pediatric patients with asthma, anaphylaxis, or seizure. The cases also reinforce teamwork and communication skills with the intention of improving overall readiness in the office. The simulations have been found to be effective learning tools at the University of Washington, which continues to train outpatient providers in emergency response annually using this curriculum.

Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (Formerly Apparent Life-Threatening Events) and Evaluation of Lower-Risk Infants

This is the first clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics that specifically applies to patients who have experienced an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE). This clinical practice guideline has 3 objectives. First, it recommends the replacement of the term ALTE with a new term, brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE). Second, it provides an approach to patient evaluation that is based on the risk that the infant will have a repeat event or has a serious underlying disorder. Finally, it provides management recommendations, or key action statements, for lower-risk infants. The term BRUE is defined as an event occurring in an infant younger than 1 year when the observer reports a sudden, brief, and now resolved episode of ≥1 of the following: (1) cyanosis or pallor; (2) absent, decreased, or irregular breathing; (3) marked change in tone (hyper- or hypotonia); and (4) altered level of responsiveness. A BRUE is diagnosed only when there is no explanation for a qualifying event after conducting an appropriate history and physical examination. By using this definition and framework, infants younger than 1 year who present with a BRUE are categorized either as (1) a lower-risk patient on the basis of history and physical examination for whom evidence-based recommendations for evaluation and management are offered or (2) a higher-risk patient whose history and physical examination suggest the need for further investigation and treatment but for whom recommendations are not offered. This clinical practice guideline is intended to foster a patient- and family-centered approach to care, reduce unnecessary and costly medical interventions, improve patient outcomes, support implementation, and provide direction for future research. Each key action statement indicates a level of evidence, the benefit-harm relationship, and the strength of recommendation.

Self-instructional CPR training for parents of high risk infants

OBJECTIVE

Premature infants (PRE) and infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at high risk for respiratory or cardiac arrest in their first year. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a major predictor of resuscitation outcome. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of a self-instructional DVD kit (Infant CPRAnytime) for families of high-risk infants. We hypothesized that comfort level of performing CPR would increase, parents would share the kit with others, and review it during the year.

METHODS

Parents of PRE (<35 weeks or <2500 g) or CHD infants received a self-instructional CPR kit. One parent completed a questionnaire, reviewed the DVD, and practiced CPR before discharge. They were asked to share the kit with other care providers, practice CPR every 3 months, and complete questionnaires at 4 and 12 months.

RESULTS

We enrolled 311 subjects: 238 PRE and 73 CHD. Comfort level performing CPR increased from 2.8 at baseline to 3.5 at 12 months (p=0.023). The kit was shared with 3.1 additional persons and reviewed by the parent 1.8 times over 12 months. Eight emergency rescue events were reported: choking (3) and CPR (5). All events requiring CPR were in infants with CHD. Six infants survived with reported good or stable neurologic status.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-instructional tools provide an excellent method of CPR training for parents of high risk infants. Caregiver comfort increased over 12 months and parents continued to review the kit during the first year. An additional 3.1 persons used the kit for CPR training.

Management of pediatric trauma

Injury is the number 1 killer of children in the United States. In 2004, injury accounted for 59.5% of all deaths in children younger than 18 years. The financial burden to society of children who survive childhood injury with disability continues to be enormous. The entire process of managing childhood injury is complex and varies by region. Only the comprehensive cooperation of a broadly diverse group of people will have a significant effect on improving the care and outcome of injured children. This statement has been endorsed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Pediatric Surgical Association, National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, National Association of State EMS Officials, and Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Outcome of out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest in children

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the characteristics and outcome of out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest in children in Spain.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter study analyzing cardiorespiratory arrest in children. Ninety-five children between 7 days and 16 years with cardiorespiratory arrest. Data were recorded according to the Utstein style. The outcome variables were the sustained return of spontaneous circulation (initial survival), and survival at 1 year (final survival). Neurologic and general performance outcome was assessed by the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) scale and the Pediatric Overall Performance Category (POPC) scale.

RESULTS

Initial survival was 47.3% and 1-year survival was 26.4%. Mortality was higher in children younger than 1 year. Survival of patients with respiratory arrest (82.1%) was significantly higher than survival of cardiac arrest victims (14.4%). Patients who were initially resuscitated by laypersons or paramedics had higher survival (53.6%) than those who were initially resuscitated by doctors and/or nurses (15.2%) (P < 0.01). Mortality was higher in the patients who presented slow rhythms (asystole, severe bradycardia) or pulseless electrical activity than in those presenting ventricular fibrillation (P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the best indicator of mortality was duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation longer than 20 minutes. After 1 year, most survivors had normal or mild disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality of out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest in children is high. When resuscitation is started soon by layperson or paramedics, survival is increased. Duration of resuscitation efforts is the best indicator of mortality. Most of survivors had good long-term neurologic outcome.