You're Kidding, Right?
You're Kidding, Right? is a medical education podcast hosted by Dr Freya Bleathman and Dr Anne Atkins, two doctors who cover essential paediatric topics. Each week the show releases two episodes exploring how young patients work, from common presentations to practical management. It is aimed at junior doctors, medical students, nursing graduates, general practice trainees, and anyone wanting to learn more about children's health. The podcast is for educational purposes only, and listeners are advised to consult their own doctor or local guidelines for personal medical advice.
Episodes
Neonatal Jaundice | SPECIAL GUEST Dr Myles
Neonatal Jaundice - take 2! We are revisiting one of our very first episodes covering an important topic for your paediatric rotation - neonatal jaundice! Freya is joined today by special guest - paediatric advanced trainee Dr Myles Loughnan.
Lupus | Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE)
Welcome back to Your Kidding, Right? In this episode, Dr. Freya Bleathman is joined by the wonderful Dr. Myles Loughnan, a fellow pediatric registrar, as they tackle the fascinating yet challenging topic of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Together, they unpack a pediatric lupus case, highlighting key clinical features, the immunological underpinnings of lupus, the differences between pediatric
Oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis | the most common JIA subtype
Oligoarticular JIA is the most common subtype of juvenile arthritis. Children with oligo have 4 or fewer joints involved in the first 6 months of disease. The biggest complication that requires monitoring for is chronic uveitis which is asymptomatic but ultimately vision threatening if not controlled. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Mak
Exomphalos | Omphalocoele
Summary: Exomphalos, or omphalocoele, is a congenital condition where a baby's abdominal organs develop outside the body through the umbilical cord, affecting about 1 in 5000 births, with higher rates in multiple pregnancies (e.g. twins, triplets). It forms between the 6th-10th week of gestation and can be classified as minor or major based on the size of the defect. The condition is sometimes as
Genetic Imprinting | what usually happens, and how it can go wrong
Genetic imprinting is a normal process that usually happens in a small number of genes where one copy of the gene is always "silenced" or not expressed. An imprinting "disorder" is where there's an issue with this process - either with how the gene is silenced or the right copy is silenced but there's a problem with the copy that gets "expressed". Today's episode is a doozy! This is one for all
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia | an overview
Summary: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a condition where abdominal contents herniate into the thoracic cavity via a defect in the diaphragm, causing underdevelopment of the lungs and altered pulmonary vascular development. Although uncommon, it can cause significant morbidity during the neonatal period, and may continue to do so in the long term. Mortality is significant across the g
Adolescent Asthma | work SMART not hard
There has been a recent move to prescribe an inhaled corticosteroid for ALL adolescents with asthma. In today's episode we will go through the new SMART guidelines for adolescent asthma. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourekiddingright.pod/ Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don't miss out on any pearls of wisdom and RATE/REVIEW to help us grow!
Paediatric Fasting Guidelines | when your patients are also hangry
Meckel diverticulum
After a decent hiatus we're back with a new episode! Meckel diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract, found in the small intestine. The majority of patients are never diagnosed, as it is both often completely asymptomatic, and difficult to spot on the usual imaging modalities. The symptoms of a Meckel's depend on the complication it presents with - and
Dermoid cysts | spot the diagnosis
Dermoid cysts are a common occurrence and a common spot diagnosis that you'll be quizzed on in clinic! Always present at birth, but often picked up later, most cutaneous dermoid cysts are harmless, but occasionally, they may grow over time and develop complications. Tune in to learn how to tell them apart from other cutaneous lesions, their management and more! Links and resources: Follow us on
Noonan Syndrome | what you need to know in 20 minutes
Noonan syndrome is one of the most common genetic conditions we see in paeds. It is most typically characterised by certain facial features, short stature, congenital heart defects and developmental delay. Noonan syndrome is caused by a mutation in a single gene, however there are quite a few possible genes that can be responsible. Vision and hearing loss, developmental delay, development of hyper
JDM | Juvenile Dermatomyositis
Juvenile dermatomyositis, or JDM is a rare autoimmune myopathy. In their first episode back after sitting specialty exams, Freya and Anne use a case to help explain what JDM is, as well as presentation, treatment and diagnosis (plus a couple of tangents about their day to day work as doctors!). Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure
MCADD | medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
MCAD deficiency is a fatty acid oxidation disorder. It is a hereditary disease that is caused by a missing enzyme needed to convert fat into energy. Children with MCAD deficiency therefore cannot fast for very long without developing hypoglycaemia, which can cause brain damage or even death. This is because they cannot use fat and hence ketones as an alternative energy source as the glucose availa
Von Willebrand Disease | the most common inherited bleeding disorder
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a hereditary quantitative deficiency or functional abnormality of von Willebrand factor (VWF), which causes platelet dysfunction. Bleeding tendency is usually mild in the most common types, but it can be severe and present with factor VIII deficiency as well as platelet dysfunction in the rarer subtypes. It is diagnosed based on testing von willebrand factor antigen
Anne's Big News | choosing a specialty
In this episode, we take the podcast in a slightly different direction by discussing a non-clinical topic! The news is out, Anne has changed specialty! But what has she changed to? Why did she do it? What is a day in the life of her new specialty like? What's next? Tune in now to hear the answers to all these questions and more! More importantly, we discuss what's important when choosing a specia
Cleft lip and palate in neonates | an overview
Cleft lip and palate are congenital anomalies that can occur together or separately. In cleft lip, the affected lip is always the top lip, and these entities can occur together or just one or the other. Management involves surgery, but in this episode we cover an overview of the presentation and the roles of different multidisciplinary team members. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @
Impacts of medicine on climate change | Royal Children's Hospital Green Week
On this week's episode, we feature Dr. Laura Tate and Dr. Stormie De Groot in our first podcast takeover! Tune in for a truly enlightening discussion between Laura, Stormie and their special guest Dr. Karen Kiang, as they explore the contribution medicine makes to climate change, as well as the things we can do to help alter this course. This podcast was produced as part of Green Week at The Ro
Ehlers Danlos Syndrome | we missed EDS awareness month but we tried
Early Onset Sepsis in Neonates| EOS
Early onset sepsis has different definitions across regions, with the definition we use being sepsis occurring at
Febrile Neutropaenia | an oncological emergency
Febrile neutropaenia is an emergency situation that can occur in patients with cancer. It is when they have very low levels of the white blood cell neutrophils, plus a fever. The main concern when these two things go together is that the person can easily and quickly develop sepsis. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSC
Approach to the febrile child
Fever is a common feature in paediatric presentations to health services. Because it's so common, it's vital to have an approach that will ensure that you have your bases covered. This episode is one way in which you can assess the child with a fever, as well as investigations to consider. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@
Medulloblastoma | the most common malignant brain tumour in children
Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumour in children. They arise from embryonal neuroepithelial cells and are usually located in the cerebellum, which can cause cerebellar signs. Due to its location, the tumour can also compress the 4th ventricle, causing hydrocephalus. Definitive diagnosis is based on histology from surgical resection of the tumour, after which point children w
CPAM | congenital pulmonary airway malformation
Congenital pulmonary airway malformations, also known as CPAM, are masses of abnormal lung tissue that form antenatally. They were until recently known as CCAMs, or congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. Affected patients may present with respiratory distress in the newborn period or may remain asymptomatic until later in life. Many cases are now detected by routine prenatal ultrasound examin
PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) | not the kissing kind of PDA
Patent ductus arteriosus is when the ductus arteriosus fails to close after birth. This causes a left to right shunt in the heart, where oxygenated blood passes through the duct and into the lungs instead out into the systemic circulation. A large enough shunt typically presents one of two major ways: Early on in the first few weeks of life with pulmonary oedema and often congestive cardiac failu
Paracetamol overdose | acetaminophen overdose
Paracetamol is the world's most widely used over the counter analgesic. It is also therefore a common medication in overdose, whether accidental or intentional. In this episode, we go through the presentation and management of paracetamol. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so yo
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome | WPW
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome occurs when someone has an accessory pathway through which electrical signals can travel in the heart and bypass the AV node or travel backwards from the ventricles to the atria. WPW can cause supraventricular and ventricular tachycardias. The definitive treatment is ablation of the accessory pathway. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdo
Newborn Hearing Screen
The newborn hearing screen is a test conducted on all newborn babies with the aim of early detection of possible hearing problems. In this episode, we discuss how this screen works, the possible results, risk factors for hearing loss, and more. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so
Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis | sJIA
Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis than can occur in children. The classic features are polyarthritis, quotidien fever, evanescent rash, serositis like pericarditis or pleuritis, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so yo
SMA syndrome | superior mesenteric artery syndrome
Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a gastrointestinal condition that occurs when the duodenum is compressed between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. This causes an obstruction of the duodenum, and can be significantly debilitating. In this episode, we cover the pathophysiology, presentation, management and more. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrig
ABPA | allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (or ABPA) is a hypersensitivity reaction that some people get in response to having the mould aspergillus in their lungs. It is most often seen in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don't miss out on any pearls of wisdom
Erb's Palsy | brachial plexus injury in newborns
Erb's palsy affects the upper limb when the brachial plexus is damaged, with the most common reason being traumatic delivery. Although it generally resolves over time, some more serious injuries of the brachial plexus can occur. In this episode, we discuss Erb's palsy and its management. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmai
Mesenteric Adenitis | the grand mimic of appendicitis
Mesenteric adenitis is a common condition affecting children and teenagers. It is caused by the enlargement of lymph nodes in response to an infection, generally a viral one. It is quite painful and can be mistaken for appendicitis - however it is also a diagnosis of exclusion! In this episode we discuss how mesenteric adenitis presents, the aetiology, management and more! Links and resources:
Mesenteric adenitis | the grand mimic of appendicitis
Mesenteric adenitis is a common condition affecting children and teenagers. It is caused by the enlargement of lymph nodes in response to an infection, generally a viral one. It is quite painful and can be mistaken for appendicitis - however it is also a diagnosis of exclusion! In this episode we discuss how mesenteric adenitis presents, the aetiology, management and more! Links and resources:
Williams Syndrome | get ready to (cocktail) party
Williams syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by a microdeletion in chromosome 7. This can cause things like cardiac anomalies, hypercalcaemia and intellectual disability, and it is associated with distinctive facial features and personality. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com (This isn't individual medical advice, please use your own clin
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy | when having a big heart isn't a good thing
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic conditions where you get hypertrophy of the heart muscles, particularly the left ventricle and often the interventricular septum. This causes diastolic dysfunction as the thickened, stiff ventricles can't fill with blood properly. In some cases, people also get outflow tracts obstruction in the left ventricle, so not only does it not fill properly, but also
Concussion | a mild traumatic brain injury
Following on from our recent episode on assessing head injuries, we discuss concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury which temporarily alters brain function. It's really common - about 20% of children will have one by the age of 10. In this episode, we discuss why kids are more likely to have a concussion, how to assess a child with a possible concussion, and management. We refer
Alagille Syndrome | paucity of bile ducts and other associations
Alagille syndrome is a genetic disorder that can affect a variety of organs. In the liver it causes a lack of bile ducts to drain bile out of the liver and hence the bile builds up and causes liver damage. It can also affect other parts of the body like the heart, eyes, bones and kidneys. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com (This isn't indiv
Assessing head injuries | what to look out for and when to worry
Head injuries are a common presenting complaint in kids. They can be a source of major concern for parents and clinicians alike. 1-2% of presentations to paediatric emergency services are head injuries of varying severity, although most are minor. In this episode, we cover the assessment of head injuries and how to decide whether imaging or other investigations are required or not. Links and res
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome | the zebra of peptic ulcer disease
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is a rare cause of peptic ulcer disease. It is when gastrin-producing tumours called gastrinomas cause excess production of stomach acid. The excess acid damages the lining of the stomach and duodenum, leading to ulcers. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com (This isn't individual medical advice, please use your own
Tongue Ties | Ankyloglossia
A tongue tie is where the piece of tissue under the tongue, called a frenulum, is tighter than usual. They are found in about 3% of babies, and are more common in boys. Although it was previously common practice to release tongue ties, further research has demonstrated that not all babies with a tongue tie require release, and indeed many babies with one can feed well without a release. There are
Adrenal Glands | salt, sugar, sex
The adrenal glands are part of your endocrine system and release some really important hormones! Broadly, the cortex produces steroid hormones (i.e. aldosterone, cortisol and androgens) and the medulla produces catecholamines (i.e. adrenaline and noradrenaline). In this episode we discuss the structure and function of the adrenals and the hormones they produce. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddi
Helicobacter Pylori | the most common bacterial pathogen in humans
Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that causes inflammation of the stomach and duodenum lining. It is most often acquired in early childhood and causes some sub-clinical gastritis but usually doesn't cause overt symptoms until later in life when it can present with peptic ulcers, iron deficiency anaemia and certain cancers. Treatment is with oral antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor. Follow us o
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe skin and other body system manifestations of immune hypersensitivity, typically in response to medications and, more commonly in kids, infections. They used to be thought of as different conditions but now we think of them as occurring on a spectrum, according to how much of the body surface is affected. Toxic epidermal
Parenteral Nutrition | intravenous feeding
Parenteral nutrition (PN) is the process of giving someone their nutrition intravenously. It is given when someone's digestive tract isn't working properly so they can't get their energy/nutrient/fluid needs enterally (via the GIT). Today we will discuss: What is in the PN bags? Why someone might need PN What are the complications Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is you
Hypokalaemia | it's bananas
Hypokalaemia is a low serum potassium levels. In paediatrics, see it most commonly in the setting of GI losses, but there are many other causes to be aware of too. The big thing that we worry about with hypokalaemia is the potential development of cardiac arrhythmias, which may be life threatening. In this episode, we go through some of the important causes of hypokalaemia, presentation of sympto
Interpreting iron studies
Iron studies can be tricky to interpret – many people struggle with it. Today, we go through what each part of the iron studies mean, how these levels may be impacted, when to do iron studies and when the levels may be spurious. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddi
Neonatal bilious vomiting | a general approach
Bilious vomiting in any child or baby is an urgent matter requiring further workup and management as a matter of priority. This is because bilious vomiting is an initial sign of intestinal obstruction, and a missed obstruction could have catastrophic consequences. In this episode, we focus on bilious vomiting in neonates, which is a presentation that comes up not infrequently in nurseries, postna
6 Month Milestones | and other things 6 month olds usually do
In this episode we discuss: Developmental milestones Red flags Primitive reflexes Feeding Sleep Weight Growth Teething Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don't miss out on any pearls of wisdom and RATE if you can to help other people find us! (This isn't individual medical advice, please use y
Trisomy 21 | down syndrome - a bonus 21st chromosome
Trisomy 21, or Down Syndrome, is the most common chromosomal abnormality in live births. Some of the most common issues associated with it are cardiac defects, intellectual disability and low muscle tone. Overall, prognosis has come a very long way in the past few decades. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com (This isn't individual medical a
Acute otitis media | lend me your ears
Acute otitis media is an extremely common infection in kids - 75% of children have at least one episode by school age. In fact, 50% of kids have had at least 3 episodes of AOM by the time they are 3 years. Generally, it doesn't require antibiotic therapy, but there are some cases in which antibiotic therapy is recommended. In this episode, we go through the presentation, pathophysiology, relevant
Tumour Lysis Syndrome | an oncological emergency
Tumour lysis syndrome is an oncologic emergency. It happens when cancer cells release their intracellular contents into the bloodstream which can cause a variety or serious complications. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW so you don't miss out on any pearls of wisdom and RATE if you can to help other p
IgA nephropathy | the most common chronic glomerular disease in children
IgA nephropathy is a cause of glomerulonephritis and is the most common chronic glomerular disease in children. Like the name suggests, it is characterised by kidney damage due to IgA (an immunoglobulin) which deposits in complexes in the kidney. The classic presentation is recurrent episodes of macroscopic haematuria a couple of days after the onset of an URTI. About 25% of children will eventual
Charcot Marie Tooth | inherited peripheral neuropathy
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a peripheral neuropathy i.e. it affects the nerves of the peripheral nervous system. This results in motor and sensory deficits. It's inherited although there are many potential causative mutations. The disease is progressive, but very slowly. Most patients have a normal life expectancy. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Our email is yourekiddingrigh
Lumbar Punctures | we get to the pointy end of spinal taps
In a lumbar puncture (LP), a needle is inserted into the lumbar subarachnoid space to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for laboratory testing, to measure CSF pressure, and sometimes to give intrathecal medications. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourekiddingrightpod@gmail.com Make sure you h
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome | why we shouldn't scatter-gun antibiotics for every case of diarrhoea
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure in children. The classic triad of HUS includes haemolytic anaemia, low platelet count and acute kidney injury. It is most often triggered by recent gastroenteritis from Shiga-like toxin producing E. coli. Management is largely supportive, focusing on managing hypertension, transfusion of blood products as required,
Congenital dermal melanocytosis | Blue spots
Congenital dermal melanocytosis (also known as blue spots, or by the outdated term "Mongolian blue spots") are common birth marks in infants of Asian and Polynesian descent, but can be found in other ethnic groups too. They are less common in Caucasian infants. They can be mistaken for bruises, raising concerns around non accidental injury, which makes them vital to be recognised and documented c
Hepatitis C | the abCs of hepatitis
Hepatitis C is an RNA virus that causes acute and chronic viral hepatitis by being directly toxic to hepatocytes. Most people with acute hepatitis C will go on to develop chronic hepatitis C. The main complications of chronic Hep C are cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In Australia, most people acquire hep C through IVDU but in the paediatric population, most acquire it through childbirth. T
Assessing work of breathing in children
Respiratory illnesses, especially viral illnesses and asthma, are common in children, and assessing work of breathing is a vital part of providing care to these children. In this episode, we go through what to look for when assessing work of breathing. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/
NAI | Assessing non-accidental injury in children
Content warning: non-accidental injury of children is a highly distressing concept and occurrence. We encourage listener discretion prior to listening. In this episode, we discuss the assessment of injuries in children, and determining which injuries are more likely to be as a result of an accident, vs intentional harm. We go through characteristics of burns, fractures and bruises that may be sus
Liver Function Tests | part 2
Okay so we had a recent episode about the enzymes ALT, AST, GGT and ALP that we get when we order liver function tests and how we interpret them. While that is useful to help us narrow down what is going on with the patient, there are some other results that give us important information about how the liver is functioning. Today we will talk about bilirubin, albumin and coags. Follow us on Insta
Hepatitis B - the aBcs of hepatitis
Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that is most often acquired during childbirth.Fulminant hepatitis and death may occur. Chronic infection can occur at much higher rates in kids - in fact 90% of infants exposed will develop hep b if no post exposure prophylaxis is given. Chronic hep B can lead to cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. A major take home point about today's episode is understandi
Liver Function Tests | part 1 liver enzymes
When we order liver function tests (or "LFTs") we get the blood levels of 4 liver enzymes: AST, ALT, GGT and ALP. Often the way they become elevated in pairs, helps us work out where the problem is.
Nephritic syndrome
Nephritic syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms that can result from glomerular capillary damage. It classically presents with an abrupt onset of macroscopic haematuria, elevated blood pressure, acute kidney injury and/or generalised oedema. It isn't a diagnosis in itself, meaning that further investigations need to be done. In this episode, we explore the causes of nephritic syndrome, in
Assessing hydration in children | a general approach
Hydration status is an important part of assessing any child. Kids often fall behind on their fluid intake when they are unwell, and it is important to be able to assess and decide whether a patient needs intervention from a hydration perspective. Although weight (loss) is the gold standard in assessing, where we treat any weight loss from a pre-morbid weight taken within the last 2 weeks as water
Inflammatory Bowel Disease | crohns and ulcerative colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease (or IBD) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tracts. It is characterised by relapsing episodes of abdominal pain and diarrhoea, systemic features such as fatigue, fever and weight loss, as well as extraintestinal features. There are two main types of IBD: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease. Follow us on Instagram @yourek
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome | stereotypical vomiting episodes
Cyclic vomiting syndrome is characterised by recurrent episodes of profuse vomiting separated by asymptomatic periods. The average age of onset is 5-6 years old. Presentation: Often the vomiting spells are quite sudden onset The child may get a prodrome e.g. a smell or taste or funny feeling before the vomiting starts The vomiting is quite intense - often around 12-15 vomits a day while they are
Nephrotic syndrome
Nephrotic syndrome is characterised by proteinuria, hypoalbuminaemia and oedema. Most cases are idiopathic, however there are some other causes and associations such as respiratory infections and minimal change disease. There are several possible complications of nephrotic syndrome, including intravascular volume depletion, severe oedema, and an increased risk of infections. In this episode about
Chorioamnionitis | Intra-amniotic infection
Chorioamnionitis, now called intra-amniotic infection (although it is still widely referred to as chorioamnionitis), is a bacterial infection of the chorion, amnion, amniotic fluid, placenta, or a combination of these. It is generally caused by a prolonged rupture of membranes, and can be potentially very serious for both the person giving birth, and the baby. Chorioamnionitis is the most common
Spina Bifida | a neural tube defect
Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect. It is caused by an incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. The vertebrae overlying the neural tube defect do not become fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to herniate through the opening in the bones. Although the cause is not known, low folate levels during pregna
Urine Collection Methods | clean catch, suprapubic aspirates, and in-out catheters
Anyone who works in paediatrics or alongside paediatric teams will know the importance of a urine sample in kids. Following on from our episodes on interpreting urine dipstick and MCS results, as well as urinary tract infections, this episode describes the different ways to collect urine in children and the methods for each. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors F
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency | the most common genetic cause for paediatric liver transplants
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is a genetic disorder affecting predominantly the lungs and liver. Although it is considered uncommon, there is some evidence to suggest it is under recognised and under diagnosed. A1AT itself is a protease inhibitor that helps protect the lung and other tissues. Liver disease is more likely to be the predominant presenting feature in kids, but many people wi
FPIES | food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome
Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis (or FPIES) is a non-IgE mediated food hypersensitivity that presents with vomiting and looking very unwell, later often followed by diarrhoea. Most cases occur in under 12 month olds. Usually children present with profuse vomiting about 1-3 hours post ingestion of the trigger food. They often look very unwell and become lethargic, floppy and pale for a period of
Urinary tract infections | urine trouble
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are an important differential diagnosis in the febrile child. In younger children, they may present with nonspecific symptoms like fever and vomiting, lethargy and a range of other features. In this episode, we go through the presentation, when to investigate further with items such as an ultraound, usual causative pathogens, management and more. Links and resource
Osteogenesis Imperfecta | brittle bone disease
Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a congenital disorder characterised by brittle bones that are prone to fracture and other features like blue sclera , hearing impairment and discoloured teeth. It is caused by defective collagen synthesis (specifically type 1 collagen). There are many different subtypes of OI and the range of clinical features and severity is vast. There is no cure but treatment may invo
Interpretation of urine dipstick and MCS | tell us a wee little joke
Urinary tract infections are a major differential for any child presenting with a fever. Thus, urine specimen collection is an important part of the workup of the febrile child. In this episode, we discuss the two main tests performed on urine in this setting. Firstly, there is the "urine dipstick", also known as a full ward test. The two main important items on this are the nitrites and leucocyte
Eosinophilic Oesophagitis | EoE
Eosinophilic oesophagitis (or EoE) is caused by an immune response to dietary antigens. It can cause symptoms like chest pain, vomiting and dysphagia. Untreated, chronic oesophageal inflammation can ultimately lead to oesophageal narrowing and strictures. Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddingrightdoctors Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourekiddingrightpod-107273607638323/ Our email is yourek
Tuberculosis | Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has overtaken HIV/AIDS as the leading cause of death from infectious disease in the world, according to the WHO. One third of the global population is infected, including those with latent disease. In this episode, we discuss the presentation of tuberculosis, screening tests, definitive diagnosis, and management. Links and resources: Follow us on Instagram @yourekiddin
Epiglottitis | yay for Hib vaccines
Epiglottitis is a life threatening inflammation of the epiglottis, classically caused by Haemophilus influenzae (Hib), but other pathogens can cause it too, and should especially be considered if an immunised individual presents with epiglottitis. The most important thing initially is to avoid distressing the child, as this could worsen airway obstruction. It is an emergency and requires early es
Wilms Tumours | nephroblastoma
Wilms tumour (also known as nephroblastoma) is a type of kidney cancer than mostly affects children. It mostly occurs in kids under 5. Often the child seems well at diagnosis and it is only picked up because someone notices a lump in their tummy. Treatment usually involved surgery to remove the entire kidney that has the tumour, and then chemotherapy to make sure there are no remnants of the tumou
Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome | the most common overgrowth disorder in childhood
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is the most common paediatric overgrowth and cancer predisposition disorder. It is a genetic condition presenting with a wide range of symptoms and signs. Sometimes it is referred to as exomphalos-macroglossia-gigantism syndrome. Individuals with BWS are at increased risk of developing embryonal cancers, with the most common one being Wilms tumour. In this episode, we
