Paediatrics

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties explores the specialty of paediatrics. It discusses emergencies such as life support, anaphylaxis, and cardiac arrest. It explores taking a history, physical examination, and how to deal with fever and common problems, including non-accidental injury. It discusses common viral infection and respiratory issues such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, as well as gastrointestinal and genitourinary issues such as abdominal pain and distension, diarrhoea, malnutrition, malformations, nephrotic syndrome, and renal disease. It explores neurology from epilepsy to headache, and cardiology from congenital heart disease to heart murmurs. It discusses haematology and immunology, endocrinology, and growth. It ends with a detailed discussion of neonatology, from examination to common illnesses, daily requirements to breastfeeding, jaundice to haemolytic disease, and respiratory distress to the neonatal intensive care unit, respiratory support, and sudden unexplained infant death.