ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of Ontario's youth. Our study investigated the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on the pediatric population of Ontario, using a survey derived from the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) system to identify children who may benefit from seeking professional help. Our cross-sectional study examined the potential risk factors that contributed to worsening mental health and wellbeing in children, including changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and physical activity levels, as well as the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19. Our study found that 24%, 9.4%, and 15.5% of participants exhibited symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), respectively, according to the RCADS system. Furthermore, there were significant associations between the presence of symptoms and the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19 or a frontline worker in the family. This suggests a need to create interventions to support the families of frontline workers and those directly affected by a COVID-19 diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a medical emergency that is characterized by hypertension as an autonomic response to noxious stimuli in patients with a history of spinal cord injury at the level of T6 or above. We present the case of a 31-year-old Caucasian male with a history of spinal cord injury at the level of C3-C4, with symptoms described as recurring episodes of hypertension with flushing and sweating above the level of the lesion for the past five to six years. His symptoms are triggered by bowel distention, excitement, a bumpy car ride, or a simple turning of the neck to the left. Physical examination and laboratory studies ruled out other possible differentials (e.g., migraines, pheochromocytoma). As a result, AD was diagnosed.
