Pediatric Primary Health Care: The Central Role of Pediatricians in Maintaining Children's Health in Evolving Health Care Models.

Pediatric primary health care (PPHC) is of principal importance to the health and development of all children, helping them reach their true potential. Pediatricians, as the clinicians most intensively trained and experienced in child health, are the natural leaders of PPHC within the context of the medical home. Given the rapidly evolving models of pediatric health care delivery, including the explosion of telehealth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatricians, together with their representative national organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), are the most capable clinicians to guide policy innovations on both the local and national stage.

Laparoscopic drainage of postappendectomy- retained fecalith and intra-abdominal abscess in the pediatric population.

Retained fecalith after an appendectomy is an uncommon complication frequently associated with intra-abdominal abscess. Treatment options include percutaneous, open, or laparoscopic drainage of the abscess and retrieval of the fecalith, as antibiotics and drainage alone are usually insufficient. Laparoscopy offers the advantages of enhanced visualization of the abdomen, improved cosmesis, and a quicker return to normal daily activities. The principles of laparoscopic treatment include the careful identification of all anatomic landmarks, as the abscesses are frequently adherent to intra-abdominal structures compromising the safety of the operation. In this paper, we present 2 cases of laparoscopic drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess with retrieval of a fecalith in pediatric patients 1 and 6 weeks after an initial appendectomy and a review the literature.

Improving pain management for pediatric patients undergoing nonurgent painful procedures.

PURPOSE: The development of a topical analgesia protocol to improve pain management for pediatric patients undergoing nonurgent painful procedures is described. SUMMARY: Leadership from the departments of pediatrics, neonatology, obstetrics and gynecology, nursing, pharmacy, child life, and phlebotomy were chosen to develop and implement a new protocol for topical analgesia use for nonurgent painful procedures in pediatric patients. A review of the published literature on pain management in neonates, infants, children, and adolescents led to the replacement of lidocaine 2.5%-prilocaine 2.5% with liposomal lidocaine 4% topical cream on the formulary. In addition to topical analgesia, psychological and physical methods that enable children to cope successfully with anxiety-provoking and painful experiences were included as part of the education portion of implementation. Child life staff educated other staff, patients, and their parents on pain management techniques, including deep breathing, imagery, and the use of distraction tools. The protocol was transcribed onto preprinted prescriber order forms, which were made available to all pediatric inpatient units, the pediatric emergency department, and the pediatric ambulatory care clinic. A separate form was developed for neonatology. Data from before and after protocol implementation were collected and assessed. Only pediatric patients admitted to inpatient units or seen in ambulatory care clinics were included in the evaluation. The percentage of patients undergoing nonurgent painful procedures treated with topical analgesia or dorsal penile block for circumcisions rose from 2% (preimplementation of protocol) to 92% (postimplementation) (p < 0.0001, chi-square). CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary approach to protocol development and implementation significantly increased compliance to a topical analgesia protocol for pediatric patients undergoing nonurgent painful procedures in a community medical center.