Racial and Ethnic Differences in Hospital Admission and Diagnostic Evaluation for Febrile Seizures in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in hospital admission and diagnostic evaluation for febrile seizure by race and ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study among children 6 months to 6 years with simple or complex febrile seizure between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021, using data from the Pediatric Health Information System. The primary outcome was hospital admission. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of encounters with neuroimaging or lumbar puncture. We used mixed-effects logistic regression model with random intercept for hospital and patient to estimate the association between outcomes and race and ethnicity after adjusting for covariates, including seizure type. RESULTS: In total, 94 884 encounters were included. Most encounters occurred among children of non-Hispanic White (37.0%), Black (23.9%), and Hispanic/Latino (24.6%) race and ethnicity. Black and Hispanic/Latino children had 29% (aOR 0.71; 95% CI 0.66-0.75) and 26% (aOR 0.74; 95% CI 0.69-0.80) lower odds of hospital admission compared with non-Hispanic White children, respectively. Black and Hispanic/Latino children had 21% (aOR 0.79; 95% CI 0.73-0.86) and 22% (aOR 0.78; 95% CI 0.71-0.85) lower adjusted odds of neuroimaging compared with non-Hispanic White children. For complex febrile seizure, the adjusted odds of lumbar puncture was significantly greater among Asian children (aOR 2.12; 95% CI 1.19-3.77) compared with non-Hispanic White children. There were no racial differences in the odds of lumbar puncture for simple febrile seizure. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with non-Hispanic White children, Black and Hispanic/Latino children with febrile seizures are less likely to be hospitalized or receive neuroimaging.

A Pediatric Level III Trauma Center Experience With Dog Bite Injuries.

Dog bite injuries often present to Emergency Departments (ED), and between 2001 and 2003, approximately 4.5 million adults and children were injured. Injuries may range from puncture wounds to deep tissue lacerations or avulsions. Deaths have been described. Our objective was to describe dog bite injuries, the overall location of injuries, and need for vaccination among children who presented to a Pediatric ED designated as a level III trauma center with a robust facial surgical infrastructure. This was a 6-year retrospective study. Charts were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for lacerations or injuries secondary to animal bites and accessing the hospital's trauma database. Variables abstracted were age, sex, type of injury, location, need for antibiotics, immunization states and requirement of tetanus or rabies vaccine, disposition from ED to the operating room, home, or any in-patient unit. We excluded children older than 17 years of age and children who had a post-bite injury infection or injury not initially managed in our facility or medical system. The final cohort consisted of 152 children. The median age was 52 months and age ranged from 2 to 215 months. Children with a single bite injury were older when compared with those with numerous injuries, 81 and 62 months of age, respectively. Among young children, 75% of injuries occurred above the neck and 15.1% were managed in the operating room. Twenty-four percent of children required either a tetanus or rabies vaccination. Most dog bite injuries occurred to facial structures. Comprehensive care of dog victims included awareness of both dog and injured child vaccination status.

A Retrospective Report on Simple Febrile Seizure Management in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pediatric emergency medicine physicians are compliant with the 9-year-old simple febrile seizure guideline created by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients, ages 6 to 60 months, who presented to the emergency department between May 2011 and December 2019. Key variables abstracted were urine, blood, nasal viral swab, and radiographic results. RESULTS: The retrospective cohort of 285 children met inclusion criteria. Among 285 children, 342 studies were performed with a median of 1.2 studies per patient. There were 77 urine cultures obtained with 6 bacterial pathogens. Nasal viral swabs were performed on 65 children with 9 positive results. Blood cultures were obtained for 28 children and none were positive. Chest radiographs were performed on 37 children with 4 showing pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The study results reflect areas of opportunity to update guidelines with a focus to consider obtaining urine studies, viral sampling, and chest x-rays.

Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection, Bacteremia, and Meningitis Among Febrile Infants Aged 8 to 60 Days With SARS-CoV-2.

Importance: The prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI), bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis in febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 is largely unknown. Knowledge of the prevalence of these bacterial infections among febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 can inform clinical decision-making. Objective: To describe the prevalence of UTI, bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis among febrile infants aged 8 to 60 days with SARS-CoV-2 vs without SARS-CoV-2. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a quality improvement initiative at 106 hospitals in the US and Canada. Participants included full-term, previously healthy, well-appearing infants aged 8 to 60 days without bronchiolitis and with a temperature of at least 38 °C who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing in the emergency department or hospital between November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2022. Statistical analysis was performed from September 2022 to March 2023. Exposures: SARS-CoV-2 positivity and, for SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, the presence of normal vs abnormal inflammatory marker (IM) levels. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes were ascertained by medical record review and included the prevalence of UTI, bacteremia without meningitis, and bacterial meningitis. The proportion of infants who were SARS-CoV-2 positive vs negative was calculated for each infection type, and stratified by age group and normal vs abnormal IMs. Results: Among 14 402 febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 testing, 8413 (58.4%) were aged 29 to 60 days; 8143 (56.5%) were male; and 3753 (26.1%) tested positive. Compared with infants who tested negative, a lower proportion of infants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had UTI (0.8% [95% CI, 0.5%-1.1%]) vs 7.6% [95% CI, 7.1%-8.1%]), bacteremia without meningitis (0.2% [95% CI, 0.1%-0.3%] vs 2.1% [95% CI, 1.8%-2.4%]), and bacterial meningitis (<0.1% [95% CI, 0%-0.2%] vs 0.5% [95% CI, 0.4%-0.6%]). Among infants aged 29 to 60 days who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2%-0.7%) had UTI, less than 0.1% (95% CI, 0%-0.2%) had bacteremia, and less than 0.1% (95% CI, 0%-0.1%) had meningitis. Among SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, a lower proportion of those with normal IMs had bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis compared with those with abnormal IMs (<0.1% [0%-0.2%] vs 1.8% [0.6%-3.1%]). Conclusions and Relevance: The prevalence of UTI, bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis was lower for febrile infants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, particularly infants aged 29 to 60 days and those with normal IMs. These findings may help inform management of certain febrile infants who test positive for SARS-CoV-2.

The Pediatric Emergency Department Nurse and Gastrostomy Tube Replacement: How Safe Is it?

AIM: To review the outcomes of a nurse-only guideline for replacement of gastrostomy tubes (g-tubes) in a pediatric emergency department (ED) and compare rates of success, failure, length of stay (LOS), and return visits with that of ED physicians. DESIGN: Nursing g-tube guidelines, created by a nurse educator and nursing council, were instigated on January 31, 2018. Variables examined included LOS, age at visit, return visit within 72 hours, reason for replacement, and any postplacement complications. REVIEW METHODS: Data of g-tube placement by nurses and physicians were compared using t test or χ 2 analysis (IBM-SPSS version 20, New Orchard Road, Armonk, NY). The institutional review board determined the study to be exempt from human subjects. The STROBE checklist was used and completed accordingly. DATA SOURCES: Chart abstraction and data were collected from January 1, 2011 through April 13, 2020, and medical records were obtained using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for g-tubes: Z93.1, K94.23. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were included in our study. Fifty-eight underwent nursing-only replacements; 52 were replaced by physicians. Nurse replacement success rate was 98.3% with an average stay of 22 minutes. Physician success rate was 100% with an average stay of 86 minutes. The difference between nursing and physician LOS was 64.6 minutes. No patient in either group experienced postreplacement complications. CONCLUSIONS: The initiation of nurse-only management of dislodged g-tubes was successful, safe, and had a shorter LOS when compared with physicians in the pediatric ED. IMPACT: Our study determined the implications of nurse-only replacement of g-tubes in a pediatric ED. We found that nurses replacing g-tubes was equally safe and effective as physician counterparts. In addition, we found that it significantly reduced the LOS for patients, which has consequences on patient satisfaction and billing. PATIENT/PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Nursing staff were trained in g-tube replacement using guidelines created by a nurse educator and nursing council. Patients either had their dislodged g-tubes replaced by the trained nurse or a physician and comparisons on the outcomes were made. Patients were aware of the study and consented to have their medical records accessed to make the data comparisons. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: With more than 189,000 children in the United States relying on g-tubes, nursing staff will inevitably be involved in the care of patients with such a device. In addition, as pediatric EDs continue to develop longer and longer waiting times, we must learn how to better use our nursing staff for procedures within their scope and minimize LOS. Our research demonstrates the safety, feasibility, and general benefits of having the pediatric nursing staff replace g-tubes in the ED, and it is hoped that this will lead to beneficial policy changes. WHAT DOES THIS ARTICLE CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER GLOBAL COMMUNITY: - Demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of nurse-only g-tube replacement- Reports on the statistically significant difference in LOS between physician and nurse replacement of g-tubes in a pediatric ED- Has the ability to lead to policy change in the pediatric ED that will allow for greater patient satisfaction and decrease patient cost.

Pediatric Glue-Related Injuries in U.S. Emergency Departments: A 10-Year Overview.

Slime's increasing popularity has caused children to be more frequently exposed to glue. There is no comprehensive literature describing pediatric glue-related injuries. This study's purpose is to characterize pediatric glue-related injuries presented to U.S. emergency departments (EDs). We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for pediatric glue-related injuries from 2009 to 2018. Data were abstracted from discrete and case narrative data. Odds ratios were calculated to determine age-related differences in injuries. An estimated 18,126 pediatric patients were treated in U.S. EDs for glue-related injuries. Injury incidence increased over time. The most frequently injured body part was the eye, and the most common diagnosis was foreign body without documented sequelae. The most common injury mechanism was unintentional splash/squirt/explosion. Younger children were more likely to accidentally ingest glue; older children were more likely to sustain burns. Preventive efforts should focus on personal protective equipment, proper storage/labeling, and supervision of use.

Predictors of Invasive Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Young Infants.

OBJECTIVES: To identify independent predictors of and derive a risk score for invasive herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. METHODS: In this 23-center nested case-control study, we matched 149 infants with HSV to 1340 controls; all were ≤60 days old and had cerebrospinal fluid obtained within 24 hours of presentation or had HSV detected. The primary and secondary outcomes were invasive (disseminated or central nervous system) or any HSV infection, respectively. RESULTS: Of all infants included, 90 (60.4%) had invasive and 59 (39.6%) had skin, eyes, and mouth disease. Predictors independently associated with invasive HSV included younger age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 9.1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4-24.5] <14 and 6.4 [95% CI: 2.3 to 17.8] 14-28 days, respectively, compared with >28 days), prematurity (aOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.1), seizure at home (aOR: 6.1, 95% CI: 2.3 to 16.4), ill appearance (aOR: 4.2, 95% CI: 2.0 to 8.4), abnormal triage temperature (aOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.6 to 5.3), vesicular rash (aOR: 54.8, (95% CI: 16.6 to 180.9), thrombocytopenia (aOR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.6 to 12.4), and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (aOR: 3.5, 95% CI: 1.2 to 10.0). These variables were transformed to derive the HSV risk score (point range 0-17). Infants with invasive HSV had a higher median score (6, interquartile range: 4-8) than those without invasive HSV (3, interquartile range: 1.5-4), with an area under the curve for invasive HSV disease of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.80-0.91). When using a cut-point of ≥3, the HSV risk score had a sensitivity of 95.6% (95% CI: 84.9% to 99.5%), specificity of 40.1% (95% CI: 36.8% to 43.6%), and positive likelihood ratio 1.60 (95% CI: 1.5 to 1.7) and negative likelihood ratio 0.11 (95% CI: 0.03 to 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: A novel HSV risk score identified infants at extremely low risk for invasive HSV who may not require routine testing or empirical treatment.

Predicting Adverse Outcomes for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infections in Emergency Departments.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) severity score among children with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections and HUS by stratifying them according to their risk of adverse events. The score has not been previously evaluated in a North American acute care setting. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed medical records of children <18 years old infected with STEC and treated in 1 of 38 participating emergency departments in North America between 2011 and 2015. The HUS severity score (hemoglobin [g/dL] plus 2-times serum creatinine [mg/dL]) was calculated using first available laboratory results. Children with scores >13 were designated as high-risk. We assessed score performance to predict severe adverse events (ie, dialysis, neurologic complication, respiratory failure, and death) using discrimination and net benefit (ie, threshold probability), with subgroup analyses by age and day-of-illness. RESULTS: A total of 167 children had HUS, of whom 92.8% (155/167) had relevant data to calculate the score; 60.6% (94/155) experienced a severe adverse event. Discrimination was acceptable overall (area under the curve 0.71, 95% CI 0.63-0.79) and better among children <5 years old (area under the curve 0.77, 95% CI 0.68-0.87). For children <5 years, greatest net benefit was achieved for a threshold probability >26%. CONCLUSIONS: The HUS severity score was able to discriminate between high- and low-risk children <5 years old with STEC-associated HUS at a statistically acceptable level; however, it did not appear to provide clinical benefit at a meaningful risk threshold.

Treatment of Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest in the Pediatric Drowning Victim, a Case Report, and Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Drowning is the second leading cause of death in children. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become the criterion standard therapy to resuscitate the hypothermic drowning victim in cardiac arrest. We present our own experience treating 5 children with hypothermic cardiac arrest in conjunction with a systematic review to analyze clinical features predictive of survival. METHODS: Our search resulted in 55 articles. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) younger than 18 years, (2) ECMO therapy, and (3) drowning. Ten articles met our inclusion criteria. We included studies using both central and peripheral ECMO and salt or fresh water submersions. We compared clinical features of survivors to nonsurvivors. RESULTS: A total of 29 patients from the 10 different studies met our criteria. Data analyzed included presenting cardiac rhythm, time to initiation of ECMO, submersion time, pH, potassium, lactate, duration of chest compressions, and survival. There was a significant increase in mortality for presenting rhythm of asystole and with hyperkalemia (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an important resuscitation tool for the hypothermic drowning victim. Hyperkalemia and presenting cardiac rhythm correlate with survival although they are not reasons to end resuscitation. More studies are needed to compare the outcomes in using ECMO for the hypothermic drowning victim.

ED RAPID: A Novel Children's Hospital Direct Admission Process Utilizing the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: Direct hospital admission of children without evaluation in the emergency department (ED) is common, but few guidelines exist to maximize safety by assessing patient stability. This report describes a novel approach to support patient safety. METHODS: An interdisciplinary children's hospital team developed a brief ED-based evaluation process called the ED Rapid Assessment of Patients Intended for Inpatient Disposition (ED RAPID). It entails a brief evaluation of vital signs and clinical stability by the ED attending physician and nurse. Children deemed stable are admitted to inpatient wards, whereas those requiring immediate intervention undergo full ED evaluation and disposition. We assessed outcomes for all children evaluated through this process from March 2013 through February 2015. RESULTS: During the study period, we identified 715 patients undergoing ED RAPID evaluation. Of these, we directly admitted 691 (96.4%) to the hospital ward after ED RAPID evaluation; median ED treatment time was 4.0 minutes. We transitioned 24 (3.4%) to full ED evaluation, 14 (2.0%) because a ward bed was unavailable, and 10 (1.4%) for clinical reasons identified in the evaluation. We admitted four of the 10 stopped (40% of stops, 0.6% of total) to an intensive care unit, and 6 (60% of stops, 0.8% of total) to the hospital ward after ED care. Eight children (1.1%) admitted to the hospital ward after ED RAPID evaluation required a transfer to an intensive care unit within 12 hours. CONCLUSION: The ED RAPID evaluation process for children directly admitted to the hospital was feasible and effective in this setting.

Optimizing Analgesic Use During Infant Lumbar Puncture in the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: Lumbar puncture (LP) for the collection of cerebrospinal fluid is an important diagnostic tool for the evaluation of febrile or ill-appearing infants. This invasive procedure is painful for patients; inadequate analgesia may have lasting effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends analgesia during all LP procedures, and oral sucrose alone does not offer sufficient analgesia. Our objective was to identify analgesic use trends during infant LP in our emergency department and create a system of analgesic administration. We aimed for complete compliance with one method of analgesia and an increase in our use of 2 or more methods to 85% over 12 months. METHODS: We utilized Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle methodology and retrospective chart review. Five interventions focused on staff communication, collaboration, and education. Inclusion criteria: infants <60 days who underwent LP procedure due to fever >38°C, hypothermia <36.5°C of unknown origin, or ill-appearance. RESULTS: One hundred infant LPs analyzed: 52 preintervention and 48 intervention. The use of one analgesic increased from 98% preintervention to 100%. The use of 2 or more analgesics increased from 58% preintervention to 87%. Topical lidocaine use increased from 56% preintervention to 73%. LP success rates were high in both groups, with no statistically significant change in the success rate. CONCLUSION: We created a streamlined process to ensure all infants undergoing lumbar puncture received at least 1 analgesic and increased the proportion of infants treated with 2 or more analgesics. This work could be expanded to improve analgesia during other invasive procedures in the emergency department.

Reduction of paediatric head CT utilisation at a rural general hospital emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Blunt head injury is a common pediatric injury and often evaluated in general emergency departments. It estimated that 50% of children will undergo a head computed tomography (CT), often unnecessarily exposing the child to ionizing radiation. Pediatric academic centers have shown quality improvement (QI) measures can reduce head CT rates within their emergency departments. We aimed to reduce head CT utilization at a rural community emergency department. METHODS: Children presenting with a complaint of blunt head injury and were evaluated with or without a head CT. Head CT rate was the primary outcome. We developed a series of interventions and presented these to the general emergency department over the duration of the study. The pre and intervention data was analysed with control charts. RESULTS: The preintervention and intervention groups consisted of 576 children: 237 patients with a median age of 8.0 years and 339 patients with a median age of 9.00 years (p=0.54), respectively. The preintervention HCT rate was 41.8% (95% CI 35.6% to 48.1%) and the postintervention rate was 27.7% (95% CI 23.3% to 32.7%), a decrease of 14.1% (95% CI 6.2% to 21.9%, p=0.0004). During the intervention period, there was a decrease in HCT rate of one per month (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.00, p=0.07). The initial series of interventions demonstrated an incremental decrease in HCT rates corresponding with a special cause variation. CONCLUSION: The series of interventions dispersed over the intervention period was an effective methodology and successfully reduced HCT utilisation among children with blunt head injury at a rural community emergency department.

Predicting Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and Renal Replacement Therapy in Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli-infected Children.

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are leading causes of pediatric acute renal failure. Identifying hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) risk factors is needed to guide care. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, historical cohort study to identify features associated with development of HUS (primary outcome) and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) (secondary outcome) in STEC-infected children without HUS at initial presentation. Children aged <18 years who submitted STEC-positive specimens between January 2011 and December 2015 at a participating study institution were eligible. RESULTS: Of 927 STEC-infected children, 41 (4.4%) had HUS at presentation; of the remaining 886, 126 (14.2%) developed HUS. Predictors (all shown as odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) of HUS included younger age (0.77 [.69-.85] per year), leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/µL (2.54 [1.42-4.54]), higher hematocrit (1.83 [1.21-2.77] per 5% increase) and serum creatinine (10.82 [1.49-78.69] per 1 mg/dL increase), platelet count <250 × 103/µL (1.92 [1.02-3.60]), lower serum sodium (1.12 [1.02-1.23 per 1 mmol/L decrease), and intravenous fluid administration initiated ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.50 [1.14-5.46]). A longer interval from diarrhea onset to index visit was associated with reduced HUS risk (OR, 0.70 [95% CI, .54-.90]). RRT predictors (all shown as OR [95% CI]) included female sex (2.27 [1.14-4.50]), younger age (0.83 [.74-.92] per year), lower serum sodium (1.15 [1.04-1.27] per mmol/L decrease), higher leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/µL (2.35 [1.17-4.72]) and creatinine (7.75 [1.20-50.16] per 1 mg/dL increase) concentrations, and initial intravenous fluid administration ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.71 [1.18-6.21]). CONCLUSIONS: The complex nature of STEC infection renders predicting its course a challenge. Risk factors we identified highlight the importance of avoiding dehydration and performing close clinical and laboratory monitoring.

Ocular Injury Presenting to a Level-III Pediatric Trauma Center.

The purpose of this study is to describe pediatric ocular injuries presenting to a level-III pediatric trauma center and emergency department. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study and identified children from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2016. Charts were reviewed for any subject, age from newborn to younger than 18 years, based on International Classification of Diseases, ninth and tenth revision, codes for any ocular injury. Data abstraction included age, sex, means of arrival, eye involved, mechanism of injury, type of ocular injury, imaging studies obtained, procedures performed, location of definitive repair (in the operating room or emergency department), and subspecialty services involved. RESULTS: In the 5-year period, we describe 356 injuries among 278 children. Males had a slightly higher rate of presentation than females (156 and 122, respectively). Forty-three children (15.46%) required repair in the operating room. Dog bites comprised of 7.19% children with outpatient follow-up, one patient (0.36%) eventually developed anophthalmia, and 30 children (10.79%) had long-term ophthalmological sequelae (ie, glaucoma and blindness). CONCLUSIONS: At our institution, a level-III trauma center, we evaluated and managed approximately 1 ocular injury case per week and children required surgical repair in the operating room at a higher rate than higher-level trauma centers. Injuries secondary to dog bites remain a clinically significant etiology.

What is the effect of a decision aid in potentially vulnerable parents? Insights from the head CT choice randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypotheses that use of the Head CT Choice decision aid would be similarly effective in all parent/patient dyads but parents with high (vs low) numeracy experience a greater increase in knowledge while those with low (vs high) health literacy experience a greater increase in trust. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a cluster randomized trial conducted at seven sites. One hundred seventy-two clinicians caring for 971 children at intermediate risk for clinically important traumatic brain injuries were randomized to shared decision making facilitated by the DA (n = 493) or to usual care (n = 478). We assessed for subgroup effects based on patient and parent characteristics, including socioeconomic status (health literacy, numeracy and income). We tested for interactions using regression models with indicators for arm assignment and study site. RESULTS: The decision aid did not increase knowledge more in parents with high numeracy (P for interaction [Pint ] = 0.14) or physician trust more in parents with low health literacy (Pint  = 0.34). The decision aid decreased decisional conflict more in non-white parents (decisional conflict scale, -8.14, 95% CI: -12.33 to -3.95; Pint  = 0.05) and increased physician trust more in socioeconomically disadvantaged parents (trust in physician scale, OR: 8.59, 95% CI: 2.35-14.83; Pint  = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Use of the Head CT Choice decision aid resulted in less decisional conflict in non-white parents and greater physician trust in socioeconomically disadvantaged parents. Decision aids may be particularly effective in potentially vulnerable parents.

A PRESing case of visual changes and confusion.

Visual disturbances are an uncommon pediatric chief complaint. Usually, after a complete ocular exam including visual acuity, most causes are benign and not life-threatening. Children with abnormal visual complaints who have underlying medical conditions, such as SLE or other autoimmune conditions, a recipient of a transplant, renal disease, and even eclampsia require closer scrutiny. We report a 10-year-old female with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by hypertension and cardiomyopathy secondary to lupus who presented to the emergency department with a history of vision loss and headache. Head computer tomography demonstrated findings of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). PRES is a clinical disease associated with cranial radiological findings of heterogenous etiologies that is often reversible. Prompt recognition and treatment are important in preventing permanent damage, long term morbidity and even death.

Sex offender treatment professional perceptions of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the Midwest.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is precipitated by prenatal alcohol exposure. Typified by cognitive, social, and adaptive functioning impairments, FASD places impacted individuals at an elevated risk for involvement in the criminal justice system. In particular, it has been reported that some individuals diagnosed with FASD engage in inappropriate sexual behaviors. Because professionals working in the field of sexual offender treatment have the potential to strongly influence their clients, this study surveys professionals that provide treatment services to sexual offenders. Topics queried include knowledge of FASD, the role of FASD in criminal behavior, and training opportunities. The key findings from this study include that the respondents readily recognized symptoms, deficits, and consequences of FASD, but had very few opportunities to receive advanced training on FASD in the context of inappropriate sexual behavior. Findings suggest there is a strong need to develop educational and training programs that better equip professionals with the skills to assist clients with FASD in treatment settings for inappropriate sexual behavior.

Association of Herpes Simplex Virus Testing with Hospital Length of Stay for Infants ≤60 Days of Age Undergoing Evaluation for Meningitis.

Although neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes significant morbidity, utilization of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HSV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test remains variable. Our objective was to examine the association of CSF HSV PCR testing with length of stay (LOS) in a 20-center retrospective cohort of hospitalized infants aged ≤60 days undergoing evaluation for meningitis after adjustment for patient-level factors and clustering by center. Of 20,496 eligible infants, 7,399 (36.1%) had a CSF HSV PCR test performed, and 46 (0.6% of those tested) had a positive test. Infants who had a CSF HSV PCR test performed had a 23% longer hospital LOS (incident rate ratio 1.23; 95% CI: 1.14-1.33). Targeted CSF HSV PCR testing may mitigate the impact on LOS for low-risk infants.