Introducing: Pediatric Dermatology Procedures and Pearls

The pre-procedure steps of handwashing include removing jewelry and rolling up sleeves. However, many organizations allow staff to wear wedding rings.
The hand washing procedure itself includes the following steps. First, cover cuts, if any, on hands with a waterproof dressing. Cuts and abrasions can become contaminated with bacteria hindering the ability to clean the area thoroughly. In addition, repeated hand washing can worsen an injury.  The nails must be short and clean, without nail...

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a diagnostic procedure that combines endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat conditions related to the bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, and gallbladder. This procedure is beneficial for identifying and addressing blockages, gallstones, strictures, and tumors within the biliary or pancreatic systems. ERCP is both diagnostic and therapeutic, offering the ability to visualize and treat identified problems in one session.
Patient...

The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...