» Articles » PMID: 7927594

Coma in the Pediatric Patient: Evaluation and Management

Overview
Specialty Pediatrics
Date 1994 Jan 1
PMID 7927594
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Coma in the pediatric patient is a medical emergency and must be dealt with in a rapid, organized way. Basic life support needs, evaluation of history, and physical examination are all of paramount importance and evaluation of these three critical areas must proceed simultaneously. Specific diagnoses must be treated appropriately, but there are key general principals to coma management that must be dealt with sequentially. The outcome in childhood coma is substantially better than adult coma, and in many cases is determined by speed and appropriateness of intervention.

References
1.
Karnaze D, Weiner J, Marshall L . Auditory evoked potentials in coma after closed head injury: a clinical-neurophysiologic coma scale for predicting outcome. Neurology. 1985; 35(8):1122-6. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.35.8.1122. View

2.
Dean J, Kaufman N . Prognostic indicators in pediatric near-drowning: the Glasgow coma scale. Crit Care Med. 1981; 9(7):536-9. View

3.
Becker D, Miller J, Ward J, Greenberg R, Young H, Sakalas R . The outcome from severe head injury with early diagnosis and intensive management. J Neurosurg. 1977; 47(4):491-502. DOI: 10.3171/jns.1977.47.4.0491. View

4.
Brink J, Garrett A, Hale W, Nickel V . Recovery of motor and intellectual function in children sustaining severe head injuries. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1970; 12(5):565-71. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1970.tb01963.x. View

5.
Choi S, Ward J, Becker D . Chart for outcome prediction in severe head injury. J Neurosurg. 1983; 59(2):294-7. DOI: 10.3171/jns.1983.59.2.0294. View