09125 - Paediatrics

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, the student will have gained the knowledge and understanding of the primary pathological conditions affecting neonates and pediatric patients.

Course contents

The course is divided into two primary sections, focusing on newborns and pediatric patients.
Each section covers the main physiological and developmental characteristics, pathophysiology, and key diseases affecting these populations, along with the medical devices unique to pediatric and neonatal care compared to adult care. The course aims to equip students with the theoretical knowledge necessary for understanding and performing optimal nursing practices in Pediatric, Neonatal, and Neonatal/Pediatric Intensive Care Units, as well as in any healthcare setting involving pediatric or neonatal patients.

This course will cover the following topics:

1. Physiology of the Newborn:

• Definition, characteristics, and classification of the newborn:
  • Gestational age
  • Weight
  • Percentiles and growth
• Physiological neonatal adaptation:
  • Respiratory
  • Cardiovascular
  • Thermal
• Apgar score
• Care in the delivery room:
  • Prophylaxis
  • Umbilical cord blood gas analysis
• Neonatal physical examination:
  • Skin
  • Head
  • Sensory organs
  • Nose and nasal patency
  • Oral cavity
  • Cardiovascular system
  • Respiratory system
  • Abdomen
  • Peripheral pulses
  • Esophageal patency and oro/naso-gastric tube
  • Anal patency and meconium
  • Genital anomalies
  • Umbilical stump
• Neonatal neurological examination:
  • Consciousness
  • Motility
  • Posture
  • Tone
  • Pupils
  • Neonatal reflexes
• Neonatal cranial ultrasonography
• Neonatal screenings:
  • Pulse-oximetry
  • Red reflex
  • Otoacoustic emissions
  • Congenital hip dysplasia screening
  • Metabolic screening

2. Neonatal Pathology: framework and necessary measures for  neuro-management of the following conditions:

• Neonatal resuscitation: guidelines, methods, and measures
• Perinatal asphyxia, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and neonatal hypothermic treatment
• Neonatal neurological disorders:
  • Intracranial hemorrhage
  • Seizures
  • Neonatal abstinence syndrome
  • Neural tube defects
• Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus
• Neonatal hypoglycemia
  
• Congenital metabolic errors and their main manifestations
  
• Physiopathological characteristics of the premature neonate and its development
• main neonatal sedation techniques and their effect on neuromonitoring
  

3. Pediatric Physiology:

• Classification and characteristics of pediatric age
• Medical history collection
• Signs and symptoms
• Physical examination and approach
• Growth and development
  

4. Anxiety and pain in neonatal and pediatric age:

• Physiopathology and development
• Signs and symptoms
• Evaluation
• Treatment
• Neurological effects

5. Pediatric Neuro-Infectious Diseases:

• Meningitis
• Encephalitis
  
• Otitis, Mastoiditis, Cellulitis
  

6. Pediatric Seizures

• Focal and generalized seizures
• Idiopathic, secondary, and cryptogenic seizures
• Characteristics of infantile and adolescent seizures
• Electroencephalographic classification (generalized, focal, and hypsarrhythmia)
• Benign and malignant epileptic syndromes (Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet)
• Simple and complex febrile seizures
• Treatment of pediatric seizures

7. Pediatric neurological development and effect on neuromonitoring

8. Pediatric Emergencies and Life Support:

• Patient evaluation in the emergency setting:
  • Initial: ABC
  • Primary: ABCDE
  • Secondary

Readings/Bibliography

Pediatria Generale e Specialistica - A. Pession, G. Faldella
Nelson, Manuale di Pediatria - 21° Edizione
Cloherty e Stark’s. Manuale di neonatologia - 8° Edizione
Pediatric Advanced Life Support - Manuale per operatori - linee guida 2020

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral test

At the exam, candidates will be required to demonstrate their preparation on the topics covered in the course, as outlined in the program above.

The final exam aims to assess the achievement of the educational objectives and to evaluate the candidate's ability to present and critically analyse about the main characteristics of the topics covered in the lectures.

Final grading:

• Preparation on a very limited number of topics covered in the course and ability to analyze only with the help of the instructor, overall correct language expression → 18-19
• Preparation on a limited number of topics covered in the course and ability to autonomously analyze only purely executive issues, correct language expression → 20-24
• Preparation on a wide range of topics covered in the course, ability to make autonomous choices of critical analysis, mastery of specific terminology → 25-29
• Substantially exhaustive preparation on the topics covered in the course, ability to make autonomous choices of critical analysis and connection, full mastery of specific terminology, and ability to argue and reflect → 30-30L

Teaching tools

Slides (projected and commented during frontal lectures)

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Conti