Acute Presentations to A&E
Common emergency presentations including atypical infections, aspiration, leukaemia signs, cardiac complications, seizures, atlanto-axial instability, coeliac disease, thyroid emergencies, and regression disorders
Overview
- Infections, recurrent infections and Sepsis - can present atypically.
- Aspiration - Any dysphagia? GORD?
- Anaemia, recurrent infections, unexplained bleeding/bruising - Consider Leukaemia.
- Cardiac failure/cardiac presentation from congenital cardiac disease.
- Abnormal movements - Could this be infantile spasms? Seizures?
- Loss of motor skills, fine and or gross motor - Consider Atlanto-axial instability (AAI).
- Pain in the back/neck and reduced range of movement - Consider AAI.
- Weight loss/abdominal pain/constipation/diarrhoea - Consider Coeliac.
- Tiredness, lethargy, weight change, behaviour change, hair changes - Consider thyroid disease.
- Palpitations, high fever, feeling very agitated and confused - Consider Thyroid storm/crisis.
- Regression in skills, behaviour change - Consider DS Disintegrative disorder, autism, early dementia (as well as all the above and what might be the cause in people without Down Syndrome).