Question

2. A 12 week old child was brought into an ER showing signs of being listless and rouble breathing. Usuall happy and smiley, the child shows no noticeable facila expressions in the last 2 days. The child's eyes were reported to not be making eye contact with the nurse and failed to graps the nurse's finger. The child has also been reported to not have any bowel movements in the past 3-4 days.

a. What do you believe is the condition of the child? Why? HInt: It's a type of bacterial infection that is dangerous to babies.

b. What should be administered to the child (treatment)?

c. How did (could have) the child acquire this condition?

d. Although the diagnosis should be confirmed with lab tests, why should THIS TEST not be performed in the hospital lab. Please explain.

Answer 1

Answer: ques(a). Fever in young infants may be caused by bacterial infections. These include blood infection(bacteremia),urinary tract infections and brain or spinal fluid infections(bacterial meningitis) So this child is infected with brain or spinal fluid infection.

ques(b). Blood sample of child should be taken and also samples of urine, cerebrospinal fluid which can require invasive procedures such as a lumber puncture(spinal tap) shoul be taken.samples are the culutred to grow and identify bacteria.

ques(c). While waiting for the test result the child  can be hospitalized or given antibiotics help the child for the current situation.

ques(d). Yes, the diagnosis should be confirmed with lab test but the test for this should not performed in hospital lab because immature child having very less immune system so test result may not generate reasonable response.