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Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate whether short-arm fiberglass cast (SAC) immobilization provides fracture stabilization comparable to that of long-arm cast (LAC) treatment of displaced distal forearm fractures after closed reduction in paediatric patients. Methods A prospective, randomized, controlled trial of children aged four to 16 years (mean 9.9 years) was designed with a sample of 120 children, whose size was set a priori, with 60 treated with SAC and 60 with LAC. The primary outcome was fracture stability and rate of loss of reduction. The secondary outcome analysis evaluated duration of analgesic therapy, restriction in activities of daily life, and the duration until patients regained normal range of motion in the elbow. Results No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in loss of reduction or duration of analgesic therapy. In contrast, the duration until normal range of motion in the elbow was regained was significantly longer in the LAC group (median 4.5 days, P P = 0.001). Conclusion Fracture immobilization with short-arm fiberglass cast in reduced distal forearm fractures is not inferior to long-arm casts in children four years and older, excluding completely displaced fractures. Furthermore, short-arm casting reduces the need for assistance during showering. Trial registration NCT03297047, September 29, 2017

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to overlap with the seasonal influenza epidemic, increasing the risk of overextending the health system capacity in Switzerland. Influenza vaccine uptake has remained low in most countries, including Switzerland. The aim of the study was to determine parents' intentions towards influenza vaccination of their children as well as themselves, and to assess regional differences.Parents presenting to four pediatric emergency departments (PEDs; Zurich, Bern, Bellinzona, Geneva) were asked to complete an online survey during and after the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic (April - June 2020). The anonymized survey included demographic information, vaccination history and intentions to vaccinate against influenza, as well as attitudes towards future vaccination against COVID-19.The majority of children (92%; 602/654) were up-to-date on their vaccination schedule. In 2019/2020, 7.2% (47/654) were vaccinated against influenza. Children with chronic illnesses were more frequently vaccinated compared to healthy children (19.2% vs 5.6%; p = 0.002). For the coming winter season, 111 (17%) parents stated they plan to vaccinate their children against influenza, more than double the rate from last year, and 383 (59.2%) parents suggest they will vaccinate against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available. Regional differences between "German" and "Latin" Switzerland were found for parents' intent to have their children vaccinated against influenza next season (Zurich and Bern 14.3%, Bellinzona and Geneva 27.2%, plt; 0.001) but not for a hypothetical vaccination against COVID-19 (Zurich and Bern 59.1%, Bellinzona and Geneva 59.7%, p = 0.894).The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a substantial increase of parents' intention to vaccinating their children against influenza, especially in hard-hit "Latin" Switzerland. The Swiss government and public health organizations can leverage these regional results to promote influenza vaccination among children for the coming seasons.

Standardized, harmonized data sets generated through routine clinical and administrative documentation can greatly accelerate the generation of evidence to improve patient care. The objective of this study was to define a pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) minimal dataset for Switzerland (Swiss PEM minimal dataset) and to contribute a subspecialty module to a national pediatric data harmonization process (SwissPedData).We completed a modified Delphi survey, inviting experts from all major Swiss pediatric emergency departments (PEDs).Twelve experts from 10 Swiss PEDs, through 3 Delphi survey rounds and a moderated e-mail discussion, suggested a subspecialty module for PEM to complement the newly developed SwissPedData main common data model (CDM). The PEM subspecialty CDM contains 28 common data elements (CDEs) specific to PEM. Additional CDEs cover PEM-specific admission processes (type of arrival), timestamps (time of death), greater details on investigations and treatments received at the PED, and PEM procedures (eg, procedural sedation). In addition to the 28 CDEs specific to PEM, 43 items from the SwissPedData main CDM were selected to create a Swiss PEM minimal dataset. The final Swiss PEM minimal dataset was similar in scope and content to the registry of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network.A practical minimal dataset for PEM in Switzerland was developed through recognized consensus methodology. The Swiss PEM minimal dataset developed by Swiss PEM experts will facilitate international data sharing for PEM research and quality improvement projects.Standardized, harmonized data sets generated through routine clinical and administrative documentation can greatly accelerate the generation of evidence to improve patient care. The objective of this study was to define a pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) minimal dataset for Switzerland (Swiss PEM minimal dataset) and to contribute a subspecialty module to a national pediatric data harmonization process (SwissPedData).We completed a modified Delphi survey, inviting experts from all major Swiss pediatric emergency departments (PEDs).Twelve experts from 10 Swiss PEDs, through 3 Delphi survey rounds and a moderated e-mail discussion, suggested a subspecialty module for PEM to complement the newly developed SwissPedData main common data model (CDM). The PEM subspecialty CDM contains 28 common data elements (CDEs) specific to PEM. Additional CDEs cover PEM-specific admission processes (type of arrival), timestamps (time of death), greater details on investigations and treatments received at the PED, and PEM procedures (eg, procedural sedation). In addition to the 28 CDEs specific to PEM, 43 items from the SwissPedData main CDM were selected to create a Swiss PEM minimal dataset. The final Swiss PEM minimal dataset was similar in scope and content to the registry of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network.A practical minimal dataset for PEM in Switzerland was developed through recognized consensus methodology. The Swiss PEM minimal dataset developed by Swiss PEM experts will facilitate international data sharing for PEM research and quality improvement projects.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) is reported to be the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized U.S. children (1). However, current diagnostic tests, including PCR of upper respiratory tract (URT) specimens and serology, do not differentiate between Mp infection and carriage (2). Mp carriage in the URT is found in up to 56% of healthy children (2, 3). A ≥4-fold increase in IgG levels is still used in most centers to confirm Mp infection but has low sensitivity (4) and is not helpful in acute clinical management (3). In the absence of an accurate diagnostic test, it is not surprising that studies and meta-analyses on the efficacy of antibiotics are inconclusive for Mp CAP in children (5, 6). Circulating antibody-secreting cell (ASC) responses have been demonstrated to be more rapid and shorter-lived than antibody responses (7). We hypothesized that Mp-IgM-ASCs circulate in peripheral blood only for a few days or weeks after Mp infection, whereas Mp-DNA in the URT and serum antibodies persist for months. We aimed to evaluate the measurement of Mp-IgM-ASCs by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay as a new test for diagnosing Mp CAP. Methods Pediatric patients with CAP (n = 152) and control subjects (n = 156) were enrolled from May 2016 to April 2017 after written informed consent. Inclusion criteria for patients with CAP were clinical diagnosis of pneumonia (fever >38.5°C and tachypnea [8]) in previously healthy children aged 3–18 years. Children 4 h after sampling) or reduced ASC recovery (after a freeze–thaw cycle) (10). Samples and clinical data (using a standardized questionnaire) were collected at follow-up visits at

OBJECTIVES: Unplanned return visits (URVs) to emergency departments (EDs) account internationally for 2.5% to 5.2% of all consultations. ED crowding is an increasing challenge, and URVs seem to contribute to this problem. This study aimed to assess factors for URVs at the ED of a tertiary children's hospital to analyze if they are jointly responsible for the steadily rising amount of treated patients. METHODS: All patients with an URV to a pediatric ED in Switzerland between January and December 2013 were included in the study. Data were taken retrospectively from the electronic patient files, and different variables were defined and analyzed. RESULTS: URVs occurred at an incidence of 4.6%, and mostly concerned infants and toddlers (46%). URVs were independent of weekdays and mostly occurred between 10 AM and 10 PM. In 84.2% of the cases, the URVs were judged as unnecessary, and in 15.8%, a hospitalization was indicated, mainly for children with a worsening respiratory illness. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of URVs in our ED was within the incidence reported in the literature. While URVs lead to hospitalization in some patients, the majority of URVs were unnecessary from a medical point of view. These results indicate that a correct evaluation of the child's health state by parents is often challenging and requires repeated medical attendance following a first ED visit, especially in infants with airway diseases and infections. Intensive counseling and scheduled short-term follow-up consultation at the pediatrician's office could prevent URVs to the ED.

BackgroundWe aimed to document the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on regions within a European country.MethodsParents arriving at two pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in North of Switzerland and two in South of Switzerland completed an online survey during the first peak of the pandemic (April–June 2020). They were asked to rate their concern about their children or themselves having COVID-19.ResultsA total of 662 respondents completed the survey. Parents in the South were significantly more exposed to someone tested positive for COVID-19 than in the North (13.9 and 4.7%, respectively;P P P P ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant regional differences among families arriving at EDs in Switzerland. Public health agencies should consider regional strategies, rather than country-wide guidelines, in future pandemics and for vaccination against COVID-19 for children.

Needle manometry is a tool to confirm suspected acute compartment syndrome (ACS). There is scarce evidence of normal pressure values of the lower extremities in children. The aim of this study is to assess the normal compartment pressures in non-injured lower extremities of children. This prospective study included children up to the age of 16 years with lower extremity fractures that needed reduction. Between June 2009 and August 2015, 20 children were included. We used needle manometry to measure the pressures in the superficial (SPC), deep posterior (DPC) and in the anterior compartments (AC) on both the lower legs. On the healthy leg, the mean compartment pressure was 15.15 mmHg in the AC (range 7–30 mmHg), 14.32 mmHg in the SPC (range 8–24 mmHg) and 13.00 mmHg in the DPC (range 4–21 mmHg). On the injured leg, the mean compartment pressure was 24.07 mmHg in the AC (range 5–40 mmHg), 17.21 mmHg in the SPC (range 7–29 mmHg) and 17.13 mmHg in the DPC (range 6–37 mmHg). We found a perfusion gradient (diastolic blood pressure—compartment pressure)

Zusammenfassung. Kinder unterscheiden sich nicht nur durch spezifische physiologische Merkmale, sondern auch durch ethische und moralische Aspekte. Entscheidungen in der Pädiatrie und Kinderchirurgie brauchen deshalb nicht einfach eine angepasste Erwachsenenethik, sondern eine besondere Kind- und Familien-zentrierte Ethik. Eine Entscheidung für und mit Kindern ist deshalb oftmals das Resultat eines komplexen Prozesses mit zahlreichen Gesprächen im therapeutischen Dreieck zwischen Kind, Eltern und Behandlungsteam. Anhand von Beispielen aus der Klinik zeigen wir die Bedeutung und die praktische Bedeutung von praxisrelevanten Begriffen und Konzepten wie Kindeswohl, Kinderrechten und Shared Decision-Making.

Background: Although skin adhesives have been used for decades to treat skin lacerations, uncertainty remains about long-term results, and complications.Methods: In this prospective, controlled, single-blinded, observational cohort study, outcomes were assessed by five plastic surgeons with standardized photographs at 6–12 months using a modified Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) and Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS); additionally, the POSAS was performed by the patients/caregivers and the physician; pain, requirement of anesthesia, treatment time, costs, complications, and quality of live (QoL) were assessed.Results: A total of 367 patients were enrolled; 230 were included in the main analysis; 96 wounds were closed using tissue adhesives (group 1); 134 were sutured (group 2). Assessment by the independent observers revealed an improved mean modified overall POSAS score in group 1 in comparison with group 2 [2.1, 95% CI [1.97–2.25] vs. 2.5, 95% CI [2.39–2.63]; p < 0.001, d = 0.58] and mean VSS score [1.2, 95% CI [0.981–1.34] vs. 1.6, 95% CI [1.49–1.79], p < 0.001, d = 0.53]. At the early follow-up, dehiscence rate was 12.5% in group 1 and 3.7% in group 2 (p < 0.001); later on, one dehiscence remained per group. Mild impairment of QoL was found at the early follow-up in both groups, with no impairment remaining later on. Duration of treatment and treatment costs were lower in group 1.Conclusion: Both modalities of wound closure yield favorable esthetic results, and complications are rare. Adhesives are more cost-effective, and its application is less time-consuming; therefore, tissue adhesives offer considerable advantages when used appropriately.Trial Registration: Public trial registration was performed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03080467).

AIMS OF THE STUDY The spectrum of agents available for procedural analgosedation (PAS) in paediatric emergency departments (EDs) has increased over the last few decades, yet the pharmacological agents most used in our ED are ketamine and nitrous oxide (N2O). The aim of this study was to assess which patient characteristics in an ambulatory setting were associated with physicians selecting N2O 70% or ketamine as the sedating agent in our paediatric ED, after N2O 70% was introduced. METHODS Patients aged 0 to 16 years who received PAS in a tertiary children’s hospital ED in 2007 (before N2O 70% implementation) and 2016 (after N2O implementation) were included in this retrospective, single-centre cohort study. Data were collected by querying the outpatient ED database for N2O 70% and ketamine. Obtained data included patient characteristics, procedure type and sedation medication. RESULTS 1168 patients were included; 59.8% (699) were male. The overall mean age was 6.3 (± 4.0) years; in the ketamine subgroup, 4.6 (± 4.0) years and in the N2O subgroup, 7.8 (± 3.4) years. In 2016, N2O was chosen in 86.7% of cases involving children aged 4 to 16 years, compared to 28.5% of cases involving children three years and younger. The most apparent shift from ketamine to N2O occurred in patients with displaced upper extremity fractures, with an increase of N2O 70% from 0% in 2007 to 90.8% in 2016. CONCLUSIONS The use of ketamine PAS shifted to N2O PAS, especially in children older than three years and for the reduction of displaced upper extremity fractures.

BACKGROUND Children travelling are potentially exposed to a wide spectrum of illness, which includes not only mild self-limiting disease but also severe illness requiring hospitalization. Risk factors for hospitalization need to be analyzed to inform prevention and treatment strategies for travel-related disease, to make travelling for children-from a medical perspective-more secure. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis on children with travel-related disease presenting at the Emergency Room of University of Zurich Children's Hospital between July 2007 and December 2012. The profile of children being hospitalized was compared with that of children treated as outpatients. RESULTS Eight hundred and one children (57.4% male) were included in the study. Eighty-three children (10.4%) were treated as inpatients. Compared with outpatients, inpatients were significantly more likely to be male, to have travelled to Southern Asia, to have a diagnosis of Salmonella typhi or Salmonella paratyphi (3.6 % vs. 0.1%, P < 0.0001), pyogenic abscess (3.6% vs. 0.1 %, P < 0.0001) or malaria (1.4 % vs. 0.2%, P = 0.0384). Neurologic diagnoses (such as seizure disorder: 3.6% vs. 0.4%, P < 0.0001) were diagnosed more often among inpatients. Furthermore, inpatients presented more often with nonspecific findings such as dehydration (8.5% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.0001). No correlation with inpatient care was seen for visiting friends and relatives/immigrant travel. CONCLUSIONS Children acquire a wide spectrum of travel-related illness. A careful, detailed travel history is important in children presenting in the emergency room with symptoms suggesting infectious disease.

To assess the accuracy of S100B serum level to detect intracranial injury in children with mild traumatic brain injury.A multicenter prospective cohort study was carried out in the paediatric emergency departments of three tertiary hospitals in Switzerland between January 2009 and December 2011. Participants included children aged16 years with a mild traumatic brain injury (GCS ≥13) for whom a head CT was requested by the attending physician. Venous blood was obtained within 6 h of the trauma in all children for S100B measurement before a head CT was performed. As the S100B value was not available during the acute care period, the patient's management was not altered. The main measures were protein S100B value and the CT result.20/73 (27.4%) included children had an intracranial injury detected on CT. S100B receiver operating characteristics area under the curve was 0.73 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.86). With a 0.14 µg/L cut-off point, S100B reached an excellent sensitivity of 95% (95% CI 77% to 100%) and 100% (95% CI 81% to 100%) in all children and in children aged2 years, respectively. The specificity, however, was 34% (95% CI 27% to 36%) and 37% (95% CI 30% to 37%), respectively.S100B has an excellent sensitivity but poor specificity. It is therefore an accurate tool to help rule out an intracranial injury but cannot be used as the sole marker owing to its specificity. Used with clinical decision rules, S100B may help to reduce the number of unnecessary CT scans.

The efficiency of nitrous oxide in an equimolar mixture with oxygen or in concentrations up to 70% is approved for short painful procedures. Evaluation of the vitamin B12 levels in anesthetic staff applying nitrous oxide showed reduced vitamin B12 plasma levels. This study examines the vitamin B12 status of medical staff working with nitrous oxide in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Medical staff of the ED at the University Children's Hospital Zurich participated. The vitamin B12 status was evaluated by measuring homocysteine, methylmalonic acid, vitamin B12, blood count, and the MTHFR C677T genotype. As a control group, medical personnel working in the "nitrous oxide-free" pediatric intensive care unit were recruited.The parameters for the vitamin B12 status of all participants were in the reference range, and there were no significant differences for the 2 groups. By trend, the ED staff showed higher vitamin B12 levels. The ED staff members were slightly older (P = 0.07) and had higher hemoglobin levels (P0.04) compared with the pediatric intensive care unit staff.The use of nitrous oxide (50%-70%) with a demand valve is safe for the vitamin B12 status of medical personnel in the ED.

OBJECTIVE In treating patients of different ages and diseases in the pediatric resuscitation bay, management errors are common. This study aimed to analyze the adherence to advanced trauma life support and pediatric advanced life support guidelines and identify management errors in the pediatric resuscitation bay by using video recordings. METHODS Video recording of all patients admitted to the pediatric resuscitation bay at University Children's Hospital Zurich during a 13-month period was performed. Treatment adherence to advanced trauma life support guidelines and pediatric advanced life support guidelines and errors per patient were identified. RESULTS During the study period, 128 patients were recorded (65.6% with surgical, 34.4% with medical diseases). The most common causes for admission were traumatic brain injury (21.1%), multiple trauma (20.3%), and seizures (14.8%). There was a statistically significant correlation between accurate handover from emergency medical service to hospital physicians and adherence to airway, breathing, circulation, and disability sequence (correlation coefficient [CC], 0.205; P = 0.021), existence of a defined team leader and adherence to airway, breathing, circulation, and disability sequence (CC, 0.856; P < 0.001), and accurate hand over and existence of a defined team leader (CC, 0.186; P = 0.037). Unexpected errors were revealed. Cervical spine examination/stabilization was omitted in 40% of admitted surgical patients, even in 20% of patients with an injury of spine/limbs. CONCLUSIONS Video recording is a useful tool to evaluate patient management in the pediatric resuscitation bay. Analyzing errors of missing the adherence to the guidelines helps to pay attention and focus on specific items to improve patient care.

Nitrous oxide 70% (N20 70%) is an excellent medication for procedural analgosedation in a pediatric emergency department. However, its analgesic efficacy remains uncertain for painful procedures; therefore, a combination with intranasal fentanyl (INF), an opioid, was suggested. This study aimed at observing and assessing the analgesic efficacy and rate of adverse events using N20 70% with and without INF.Children who received N20 70% in a tertiary children's hospital emergency department from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015 were included in this observational study with prospective data collection. Physicians decided individually whether INF was administered. Medical staff documented the child's behavior during the procedure, adverse events, and satisfaction rate.A total of 442 children were included; 206 (46.6%) received INF. Group differences regarding patient behavior were not statistically significant; however, N20 70% application time was longer in the INF group (P = .02). Nausea was the most frequent adverse event with 13.1% in the INF group versus 8.1% without INF. Inadequate procedural analgosedation was documented only in the INF group, affecting 1.8% of all patients (P = .002). In contrast, anxiety was exclusively observed in the group without INF, which was presumably misjudged pain (P = .03); the satisfaction rate in the INF group was 95.6% compared with 98.7% without INF.Because of the study design and limitations, no conclusions about adding INF to N20 70% can be made. Additional research is needed to investigate the effect of combining N20 70% with INF.

OBJECTIVES: Nitrous oxide 70% (N20 70%) is an excellent medication for procedural analgosedation in a pediatric emergency department. However, its analgesic efficacy remains uncertain for painful procedures; therefore, a combination with intranasal fentanyl (INF), an opioid, was suggested. This study aimed at observing and assessing the analgesic efficacy and rate of adverse events using N20 70% with and without INF. METHODS: Children who received N20 70% in a tertiary children's hospital emergency department from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015 were included in this observational study with prospective data collection. Physicians decided individually whether INF was administered. Medical staff documented the child's behavior during the procedure, adverse events, and satisfaction rate. RESULTS: A total of 442 children were included; 206 (46.6%) received INF. Group differences regarding patient behavior were not statistically significant; however, N20 70% application time was longer in the INF group (P = .02). Nausea was the most frequent adverse event with 13.1% in the INF group versus 8.1% without INF. Inadequate procedural analgosedation was documented only in the INF group, affecting 1.8% of all patients (P = .002). In contrast, anxiety was exclusively observed in the group without INF, which was presumably misjudged pain (P = .03); the satisfaction rate in the INF group was 95.6% compared with 98.7% without INF. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the study design and limitations, no conclusions about adding INF to N20 70% can be made. Additional research is needed to investigate the effect of combining N20 70% with INF.

Our retrospective study presents and evaluates clinical ethics consultations (CECs) in pediatrics as a structure for implementing hospital-wide ethics. We performed a descriptive and statistical analysis of clinical ethics decision making and its implementation in pediatric CECs at Zurich University Children's Hospital. Ninety-five CECs were held over 5 years for 80 patients. The care team reached a consensus treatment recommendation after one session in 75 consultations (89 %) and on 82 of 84 ethical issues (98 %) after two or more sessions (11 repeats). Fifty-seven CECs recommended limited treatment and 23 maximal treatment. Team recommendations were agreed outright by parents and/or patient in 59 of 73 consultations (81 %). Initial dissensus yielded to explanatory discussion or repeat CEC in seven consultations (10 %). In a further seven families (10 %), no solution was found within the CEC framework: five (7 %) required involvement of the child protection service, and in two families, the parents took their child elsewhere. Eventual team-parent/patient consensus was reached in 66 of 73 families (90 %) with documented parental/patient decisions (missing data, n = 11). Patient preference was assessable in ten CECs. Patient autonomy was part of the ethical dilemma in only three CECs. The Zurich clinical ethics structure produced a 98 % intra-team consensus rate in 95 CECs and reduced initial team-parent dissensus from 21 to 10 %. Success depends closely on a standardized CEC protocol and an underlying institutional clinical ethics framework embodying a comprehensive set of transparently articulated values and opinions, with regular evaluation of decisions and their consequences for care teams and families.

Fractures of the forearm are the most common fractures in children. Various methods of cast immobilization have been recommended. Currently, there is still controversy regarding the optimal method of treatment, especially regarding the need for cast splitting.We conducted a single-center randomized and controlled trial between June 2008 and September 2009. Children younger than 16 years presenting to the emergency department with a closed fracture of the forearm needing reduction were eligible for random assignment to immobilization in a closed or split circumferential semirigid cast. The primary outcome was the incidence of cast-related soft-tissue problems such as compartment syndrome, neurovascular compromise, saw burns, or skin breakdown. The secondary outcome was fracture stability.During this period, 100 patients were randomly assigned to one of the two procedures and analyzed. Follow-up was completed in 99 patients. No compartment syndrome was observed in either group. Moderate skin breakdown (2 cm(2)) occurred in two patients, one in the closed cast and one in the split cast group. Secondary splitting was necessary in one patient because of a reversible lymphedema. Significant secondary displacement of the fracture was slightly more common in the split group (5 of 50 patients [10%] vs. 4 of 49 patients [8%] in the closed cast group) without reaching statistical significance.No significant difference in the incidence of cast-related problems was observed between the groups. Fracture stability was comparable in both groups. We suggest that closed circumferential semirigid casts are a safe and effective immobilization technique for fractures of the forearm in children and splitting can be omitted.

Background. The number of families traveling with their children to their country of origin and/or to tropical destinations has increased in Switzerland and includes a changing profile and multinational range of patients. Defining the profile of reported travel-associated illnesses will help to improve the prevention and treatment of such illnesses in children. Methods. This study includes children aged up to 16 years who sought medical advice for a presumed travel-related illness at the emergency room of the University of Zurich Children's Hospital during the period July 2007 to December 2008. Results. We analyzed data on 328 children (58.8% male, mean age: 4.62 y) who presented with travel-associated illness. Our analysis included 155 traditional (mainly tourist) travelers, 162 children who were visiting friends and relatives (VFR), and 11 immigrants. Some 11% were hospitalized. No deaths occurred. The main conditions recorded were diarrheal illness (39%), respiratory (28.7%) and febrile/systemic illness (13.4%). With increasing age, the proportion of children with diarrheal disease increased, while the proportion with respiratory illness declined. There were significant associations between geographic area of exposure and the profile of travel-related disease (p < 0.001). Among 36 children with more serious diseases requiring hospitalization, 12 (3.7% overall) presented with potentially serious diseases: malaria (n = 2), Salmonella typhi (n = 3), Salmonella paratyphi (n = 2), meningococcal meningitis (n = 1), tuberculosis (n = 2), visceral leishmania (n = 1), and hepatitis A (n = 1). Eleven of the 12 children presenting with these potentially serious illnesses were VFR or immigrant children. Conclusion. The main diagnoses for ill-returned Zurich children who presented for emergency care were diarrhea, respiratory, and febrile/systemic illness. A broad spectrum of morbidity was seen including meningococcal meningitis, malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, leishmania, and hepatitis A. Diagnoses varied between geographic regions visited, and VFR child travelers constituted a large proportion of sick-returned children presenting for emergency care.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the author name Sasha Job Tharakan. The corrected name is given above.

Information on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by paediatric patients presenting to an emergency department is still sparse. Therefore, a cross-sectional survey of the patients presenting to an urban, tertiary paediatric emergency department (integrated in the University Children's Hospital of Zurich) was performed. Between October 2006 and March 2007, 1143 questionnaires (68% of those distributed) became available for analysis. Overall 58% (n=665) of all respondents (parents or other accompanying persons) admitted some form of CAM therapy to their child, 25% (n=291) at present illness. Of the respondents who admitted some form of CAM to their child, 77% (n=511) used remedies of homeopathy, 64% (n=426) of herbal medicine, 24% (n=158) of anthroposophic medicine, 13% of traditional Chinese medicine (n=89), 5% of Ayurveda (n=36) and 34% (n=224) used other kind of CAM therapies. About 31% of the respondents (n=354) used CAM prescribed by a physician, 50% (n=575) as self-medication. The highest use of self-medication was observed in patients using herbal medicine and Ayurveda. Patients presented to the emergency department mostly because of an infection (42% of total; 29% of these used CAM) or a trauma (38% of total; 19% of these used CAM). Parents of CAM users were significantly older, more often born in Switzerland and had significantly higher school education than those of the non-users. Nearly two-third of the administered CAM therapies were not prescribed by a physician and half of the families using CAM did not discuss this with their general practitioner. Parental requirements implied that medical professionals on a paediatric emergency department should know effects and side-effects of CAM therapies and even be able to recommend them. Conclusion: the use of CAM by the study population is very frequent, even in trauma patients. It is characterised by a high rate of self-medication and exclusion of the physicians from the decision process. Homeopathy and herbal medicine are the most commonly used forms of CAM in the study population. The parents demand the consideration of CAM and wish an open discussion with the medical professionals about CAM.

Purpose:: Distal forearm fractures are among the most common fractures in children. In the past few years the option of percutaneous pinning has gained more attention in the treatment of unstable fractures. However, it remains unclear in which cases a fracture or its reduction should be considered unstable. Study Design:: In order to evaluate which type of fractures profit most from additional pinning after closed reduction, we performed a retrospective analysis of 225 consecutive cases using the recently published AO pediatric classification of long bone fractures. Results:: After closed reduction, position in the cast was lost in 23% of the cases. The proportion of unstable reductions was much higher in completely displaced fractures. The amount of dislocation was more important than the type of fracture according to the AO classification proposal. Conclusions:: Fully displaced fractures should always be reduced in a setting with pins immediately available. If anatomical reduction cannot be achieved, pinning is advocated. The AO proposal for pediatric long bone fracture classification could be a useful tool to render the diverse studies more comparable. However, the important feature of complete versus subtotal displacement is lacking

Unter allen Schweizer Spitalern, die Kindernotfalle behandeln, wurde eine Umfra­ge durchgefuhrt zu Spezialisierung des Notfallpersonals, zu Ablaufen und Triage. In grosseren Spitalern ist die Spezialisierung des Personals und der Ablaufe weit fortgeschritten. Dennoch verlangen steigende Patientenzahlen eine Neustrukturierung der Notfallversorgung mit dem Ziel der Effektivitatssteigerung und Kostenreduktion.

OBJECTIVE. To determine the ability of video recording to identify management errors in trauma resuscitation and to compare this method with medical record review. METHOD. The resuscitation of children who presented to the emergency department of the Royal Children's Hospital between February 19, 2001, and August 18, 2002, for whom the trauma team was activated was video recorded. The tapes were analyzed, and management was compared with Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines. Deviations from these guidelines were recorded as errors. Fifty video recordings were analyzed independently by 2 reviewers. Medical record review was undertaken for a cohort of the most seriously injured patients, and errors were identified. The errors detected with the 2 methods were compared. RESULTS. Ninety resuscitations were video recorded and analyzed. An average of 5.9 errors per resuscitation was identified with this method (range: 1–12 errors). Twenty-five children (28%) had an injury severity score of >11; there was an average of 2.16 errors per patient in this group. Only 10 (20%) of these errors were detected in the medical record review. Medical record review detected an additional 8 errors that were not evident on the video recordings. Concordance between independent reviewers was high, with 93% agreement. CONCLUSIONS. Video recording is more effective than medical record review in detecting management errors in pediatric trauma resuscitation. Management errors in pediatric trauma resuscitation are common and often involve basic resuscitation principles. Resuscitation of the most seriously injured children was associated with fewer errors. Video recording is a useful adjunct to trauma resuscitation auditing.

Summary QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: While skin disorders are commonly seen in paediatric emergency departments (PED), the exact frequency of the various dermatological conditions is unknown. Our aim was to evaluate the occurrence and spectrum of skin disorders in an urban PED and the need for a dermatological opinion. METHODS: The medical records of patients attending the PED during 120 days over a 1-year period were analysed. The dermatological findings were evaluated as to incidence, demographic details, frequency of dermatological review and treatment. A questionnaire assessed the need for dermatological support. RESULTS: Skin findings were recorded in 1,572 (17.4%) of the 9,041 attendances. The skin problem was the primary cause of the PED visit or related to the primary complaint in 853 (54.3%) and 335 (21.3%) cases respectively. In 373 patients (23.8%) a diagnosis was only suspected or remained unknown. Inflammatory and allergic disorders were most commonly encountered (42.9%), followed by skin infections (31.8%), physically induced skin lesions (11.9%), varia/unknown (11.1%) and congenital disorders (2.3%). Viral and parainfectious exanthema was the most common diagnosis (17.6%), followed by anogenital dermatitis (7.7%), gingivostomatitis (7.1%), petechiae (6.4%), burns (6.0%), urticaria (5.0%) and insect bite reactions (5.0%). 81 (5.2%) of the patients with skin conditions were hospitalised. The PED doctors expressed the wish for a dermatological opinion in 25% of the patients with skin findings. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a high frequency, broad spectrum and diagnostic difficulties of paediatric skin conditions. Our data highlight the need for educational measures and close collaboration between the two specialities to improve management of these children.

The purpose of this study was to find out which experiences adults are making while treating children with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in German-speaking Switzerland.A cross-sectional survey was performed on adults accompanying the children presenting to an urban, tertiary pediatric emergency department in Zurich; 71% of the distributed questionnaires (1143 of 1600) could be used for data analysis. The respondents were asked about their experiences while treating the child with CAM and--for comparison reasons--with conventional medicine (CM).The respondents perceived the effectiveness of CAM therapies in general to be inferior to that of CM, although 49% of all respondents stated that CAM therapies were more effective than CM in certain cases/against certain diseases and 13% that CAM therapies were as effective as CM. Higher frequency of use and lower compliance were observed in the case of CAM, relatively to CM. Respondents described the direct costs for the patient of both types of medicine to be comparable. Ninety-three percent (93%) of the respondents experienced no side-effects with CAM therapies, whereas only 52% of the respondents stated the same about CM therapies; the observed side-effects of CAM were weaker than those of CM. Homeopathy was the most frequently used form of CAM (77% of all CAM users), followed by herbal medicine (64%), anthroposophic medicine (24%), Traditional Chinese Medicine (13%), Ayurveda (5%), and others (34%).From the respondents' point of view, the most marked difference between CAM- and CM therapies concerns the frequency and intensity of side-effects, which were markedly higher in the latter case. The respondents made use of a wide variety of CAM therapies.

Poisoning in children with household products are common. The majority of these accidents are of low severity and resolve without complications. The big challenge for physicians is to reveal the few situations that could be life-threatening where immediate interventions is needed. The most commonly encountered substances in household products are detergents, alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol), hydrocarbons, as well as irritants (bleach, limescale removers). Rare but dangerous chemicals are for example "toxic alcohols" (methanol, ethylene glycol) and strong acids and alkalis. Also in case of ingestion of button batteries or magnets severe cases are uncommon but each case must be judged carefully to identify the cases where complications could appear.

Kindervergiftungen sind häufig, verlaufen aber nur selten schwer oder gar tödlich. Die Herausforderung für Ärzte/Ärztinnen ist es, bei der Vielzahl der Kinderintoxikationen die wenigen lebensbedrohlichen rasch zu erfassen und den Kindern unverzüglich die entsprechende Therapie zukommen zu lassen. Unter den Haushaltprodukten sind Detergentien, Alkohole (Ethanol, Isopropylalkohol), Kohlenwasserstoffe, sowie leicht ätzende Substanzen weit verbreitet. Seltene, aber gefährliche Inhaltstoffe können “toxische Alkohole“ (Ethylenglykol, Methanol), sowie starke Säuren und Laugen sein. Auch bei Vergiftungsunfällen mit Knopfbatterien und Magneten gilt es, die vielen unproblematischen Fälle von den seltenen mit Gefährdungspotenzial abzugrenzen.

Children whose parents use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) often show a lower rate of vaccination than those of parents favouring conventional medicine. We have investigated whether this applies to the paediatric patients presenting to an emergency department in German-speaking Switzerland, where popularity of CAM is rather high.A cross-sectional survey was performed of paediatric patients presenting to an urban, tertiary paediatric emergency department. 1,007 (63%) of the distributed 1,600 questionnaires were available for analysis.12.7% of all respondents reported refusing some basic vaccination: 3.9% because of recommendation of the physician, 8.7% despite their physician's recommendation. Socio-demographic characterisation of the group of patients refusing vaccination showed older age of children, higher proportion of girls, more single-mothers families and decreased household income. Refusal of basic vaccination was significantly more frequent among CAM-users than among non-users (18.2% versus 3.5%, p0.001). The highest frequencies of refusal were reported by patients who consulted physicians practicing herbal medicine, anthroposophical medicine or homeopathy. Users and non-users of CAM however, showed comparable rates of immunisation in the case of the vaccinations against invasive meningococcal, pneumococcal disease and flu. Surprisingly, the rate for vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis was higher in the CAM-users group than among the non-users (21.2% versus 15.4%, p0.05).A considerable proportion of the study population did not fully accept basic vaccinations. Refusal to follow the basic vaccination schemata was more frequent among CAM-users than non-users and reflected in most cases parental wishes rather than physicians' recommendations.

Background Although a considerable part of the population from the German-speaking Switzerland uses complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), little information is available on the experiences being done with these therapies. Patients and methods A cross-sectional survey was performed on patients presenting to an urban, tertiary paediatric emergency department in Zurich; 68% ( n =1143 questionnaires) of the distributed questionnaires could be used for data analysis. The respondents were asked on their experiences with CAM and with conventional medicine (CM). Results The respondents perceived the efficacy of the CAM-therapies to be comparable to that of CM. Respondents described that compliance to, frequency of use and direct costs to the patient of CAM and CM were similar. The majority (93%) of the respondents experienced no side effects upon CAM-therapies, whereas only 52% of the respondents stated the same about CM-therapies. Ten percent of the respondents reported “strong side effects” upon using CM-therapies, whereas the same was mentioned by only 1% of the respondents with respect to CAM. Homeopathy was used very frequently (77% of all CAM users), followed by herbal medicine (64%), anthroposophic medicine (24%), traditional Chinese medicine (13%), Ayurveda (5%) and others (34%). Conclusions The respondents perceived and behaved towards CAM- and CM-therapies in comparable ways. Only the reported frequency and intensity of side effects were markedly lower in the case of CAM.