Therapy | Childhood emergencies

Therapy

Both scalding (only the uppermost layer of skin is affected) and burning (deeper layers of skin are affected) are common conditions in emergency therapy for children. Therapeutic measures of choice are here: Children who fall into water must be treated immediately on suspicion of drowning. Here, respiratory tracts blocked by water can lead to a lack of oxygen and the excessive cooling of the body can cause hypothermia syndromes.

Drowning accidents are often fatal or the children suffer neurological damage.

  • Cooling
  • Removal of hot clothes
  • Sterile covering of the wounds
  • Liquid supply
  • Pain relief

Allergic reactions can be triggered by all kinds of substances supplied to the body and usually manifest themselves as reddening of the skin, shortness of breath, facial swelling up to coma and circulatory arrest. The children must be treated immediately with intensive care and treated with cortisone, H1/H2 blockers and adrenaline if necessary. Sepsis, which can be triggered by meningococcus, is also an urgent indication for treatment.

In many cases, this disease, which manifests itself through bleeding into the skin, fever and unconsciousness, is fatal even with treatment. Children who have come into contact with their parents’ medicines or household cupboard are often hospitalized with symptoms of poisoning such as abdominal pain, vomiting, headaches and loss of consciousness. Here, the treatment depends on the substance that was ingested and how much time has elapsed since then.

Drugs that have been taken recently can be transported outside the hospital by induced vomiting. Corrosive substances or substances that have remained in the body for a longer period of time should be tried to bind with charcoal. Foaming agents should never be vomited.

Children who have been admitted with symptoms of poisoning must be monitored as an emergency until no more symptoms can be detected. In extreme cases, dialysis is the only treatment option.