A case of near-drowning: a case for routine cerebral monitoring

A 6-week-old infant presenting with near-drowning was medically paralysed and ventilated on admission. Status epilepticus was found on cerebral function monitoring, without which the diagnosis would have been missed or delayed for many hours. This case illustrates the value of cerebral function monitoring for patients in intensive care, where clinical signs of seizure activity are frequently masked by paralysis and sedation.

Limited availability of electroencephalogram (EEG) and cerebral function monitoring (CFM) in paediatric intensive care may inadvertently delay diagnosis and appropriate treatments and so adversely affect outcomes. We propose that round-the-clock cerebral function and/or EEG monitoring should be available in all centres that provide paediatric intensive care.