Presenting features of XXXX --a five year experience from a paediatric accident and emergency department.

@entity1 @entity1910 @entity1457 @entity3397 @entity7135
OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical features, initial management and outcome of @entity7135 presenting to a paediatric accident and emergency (A_E) department. DESIGN: A retrospective study of all cases of @entity7135 seen in the department over a five year period. SETTING: A paediatric A_E department which treats approximately 30,000 @entity1 a year. SUBJECTS: All @entity1 under the age of 13 years with a discharge diagnosis of @entity7135 RESULTS: Fifty @entity1 , forty-six with microbiological confirmation of their diagnosis were identified. Sixty six percent of @entity1 were seen first by their general practitioner. However only 28% had received prehospital parenteral antibiotics. Twenty six percent of @entity1 had neither meningism nor a classical @entity1910 , 60% showed signs of @entity1457 and 66% had an altered conscious level. The case fatality rate was 4%, with 78% making a full recovery. CONCLUSION: Classical features of @entity7135 are often absent. Assessing simple clinical parameters such as capillary refill, respiratory rate and conscious level adds to the detection of the disease. If @entity7135 is suspected parental @entity3397 should be given and the @entity1 transferred to hospital.
