ABSTRACT
Anaphylaxis is an acute, potential life-threatening systemic allergic reaction that may have a wide range of clinical manifestations. Severe anaphylaxis and/or the need for repeated doses of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis are risk factors for biphasic anaphylaxis. Antihistamines and/or glucocorticoids are not reliable interventions to prevent biphasic anaphylaxis, although evidence supports a role for antihistamine and/or glucocorticoid premedication in specific chemotherapy protocols and rush aeroallergen immunotherapy. Evidence is lacking to support the role of antihistamines and/or glucocorticoid routine premedication in patients receiving low- or iso-osmolar contrast material to prevent recurrent radiocontrast media anaphylaxis. Epinephrine is the first-line pharmacotherapy for uniphasic and/or biphasic anaphylaxis. After diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis, all patients should be kept under observation until symptoms have fully resolved. All patients with anaphylaxis should receive education on anaphylaxis and risk of recurrence, trigger avoidance, self-injectable epinephrine education, referral to an allergist, and be educated about thresholds for further care.
Subject(s)
Anaphylaxis/prevention & control , Desensitization, Immunologic/methods , Epinephrine/therapeutic use , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , Histamine Antagonists/therapeutic use , Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Evidence-Based Medicine , Humans , Hypersensitivity/complications , Hypersensitivity/therapy , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
The use of nutrition support outside of institutional settings has contributed to maintaining the health, well-being, and nutrition status of many medically complex children. As these children grow and enter educational settings, there is a need for awareness of the care that these children require for nutrition support therapy. This document is designed to raise awareness to these needs, provide best practice educational resources for those involved in the supervision or provision of nutrition support to children in an educational environment, and promote safe and effective care. Care of children requiring nutrition support is an ongoing and shared partnership among the educational team, medical team, homecare team, and parents/caregivers. Care is individualized to the specific child and may include provision of nutrition support therapy while in the school setting, maintenance of a nutrition access device, and monitoring to safely prevent or act on signs of potential complications. Suggested roles and responsibilities of those involved with nutrition support care are discussed; however, all interventions and routine care must be in accordance with physician's orders, school nurse privileges and competencies, and state and local regulations.
Subject(s)
Central Venous Catheters/adverse effects , Enteral Nutrition , Parenteral Nutrition , Administration, Intravenous/adverse effects , Caregivers/education , Catheter-Related Infections/diagnosis , Catheter-Related Infections/prevention & control , Child , Home Care Services , Humans , Intubation, Gastrointestinal/adverse effects , Parents/education , SchoolsABSTRACT
Oral aversion is a frequent diagnosis in the pediatric population. For a minority of children, feeding challenges rise to the level of requiring clinical evaluation and intervention. Determining the best evaluation and treatment plan can be challenging, but there is a consensus that treatment for children with a severe oral aversion involves an interdisciplinary approach. Within the team model, multiple strategies have demonstrated effectiveness, including sensorimotor skill building, behavioral modification, hunger provocation, and sensory integration therapy. This tutorial reviews the diagnostic and treatment process for a child with oral aversion, including identification of an underlying etiology, the medical and behavioral evaluation, and formulation of a treatment plan.
