SAQ 398 – Paediatrics – infant seizure and non-accidental injury
Model Answer
Paediatrics – infant seizure and non-accidental injury.
a. Causes
- Intracranial infection, structural lesion, bleed, non-accidental injury, or head injury.
- Metabolic cause such as hypoglycaemia, hyponatraemia, or inborn error of metabolism.
- Genetic seizure disorder such as infantile spasms.
- Febrile seizure.
b. Initial management
- Support the airway and give high-flow oxygen to keep saturations above 92%.
- Terminate seizure with first-line midazolam: 0.15 mg/kg IV or 0.3 mg/kg buccal/intranasal, up to two doses.
- Use second-line therapy such as levetiracetam 40 mg/kg IV or phenytoin 20 mg/kg IV.
- Seek and treat causes such as hypoglycaemia, hyponatraemia, or infection; cefotaxime 50 mg/kg is reasonable if infection is suspected.
- Prepare for intubation if required.
c. Intubation equipment and drugs
| Equipment/drug | Size or dose/route |
|---|---|
| Cuffed ETT | 3.5. |
| Laryngoscopy blade | Size 1 Miller or Macintosh. |
| Ketamine | 1.5-2 mg/kg IV. |
| Rocuronium | 1.2 mg/kg IV. |
| Alternative adjunct | Fentanyl 1.5-2 microg/kg may be reasonable. |
d. Non-accidental injury features
| Historical features | Examination or radiological features |
|---|---|
| Inconsistent history or changing details. | Bruising in a non-mobile infant. |
| Injury inconsistent with developmental stage. | Patterned bruising or burns. |
| Mechanism inconsistent with injury. | Bruising of pinna, trunk, buttock, flexures, neck, or groin. |
| No adequate cause for injury found. | Multiple fractures at different healing stages. |
| Multiple prior trauma presentations. | Posterior rib fractures. |
| History of intimate partner violence, substance abuse, or mental health illness in the carer. | Retinal haemorrhages without medical explanation or metaphyseal corner fractures. |
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