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Continuity Clinic Notebook:

Chapter 1: The Prenatal and Well Child Visit

Chapter 1 Index

A. General Information about the well child examination

B. Nutrition Issues

C. Sleep Issues

D. Dental Issues

E. Anticipatory Guidance
--Discipline: Normal Toddlers

--Discipline: To Spank or Not to Spank
--Toilet Training: or Once Upon a Potty
--Reach Out and Read
--Anticipatory Guidance: Other Items to Ask Birth – 6 years of age
--Smoking: Adverse Effects on Children
--What’s New in Car Seats in 2002
--Water Safety: Prevention and Treatment of Drowning
--Common Accidents
--The Problems Associated with Walkers
--Toys: Choosing Safe Toys - Playing is Learning
--Cats and Dogs: Medical Issues

 

Management of Bites (NEJM 99;340:85-93)

(1997 Redbook)

I. Introduction: One problem that is often difficult to solve in practice is how bites should be handled.  Each year in the US there are 4.7 million dog bites; 400,000 cat bites; 250,000 human bites.  Infections after bites: 50% after cat; 10-15% after human and dog bites.  The following approach updates the approach we should be using:

II. Management of wounds: In general wounds should be left open if they are:

  • punctures rather than lacerations,
  • are not potentially disfiguring,
  • are inflicted by humans,
  • involve the legs and arms (particularly the hands) as opposed to the face, or
  • occurred more than 6-12 hours earlier in the case of bites to arms and legs, and 12-24 hours earlier in the case of bites to the face.  Facial lacerations are usually closed.
1. Local care to the wound copious irrigation;
  debridement: be cautious near the face
2. Suturing do not use subcutaneous sutures on the face
3. Use of antibiotics         
A. Prophylactic antibiotics controversial- not given routinely, but for high risk wounds
B. Which antibiotic? depends on microbiology:
Organisms responsible
 A. Aerobes (36% ) pasteurella Strep Staph moraxella
 B. Anaerobes (1%): fusobacterium Bacteroides Prevotella  
 C. Mixed (56%):        
 D. No growth (7%)        
Treatment: aim at pasteurella, strep staph and anaerobes
Pasteurella sensitivity ampicillin Penicillin Ceph-2/3rd doxycycl
(not first generation cephalosporins, erythromycin or clindamycin)
use: augmentin
       
4. Use of tetanus give tet immune globulin and toxoid to all children who  have not had more than 2 shots
  give toxoid to all children who have not had tetanus in last 5 yrs
5. Use of rabies vaccine see red book
  If no previous vaccination: 5 doses rabies vaccine deltoid, and rabies immune globulin (20 IU per kg)
  Use rabies vaccine if bat in the room
Human Bites: must also worry about HIV, Hep B and syphilis
Cat Scratch: look for papule; Indirect Fluorescent Ab, EIA to Bart. Henselae

III. Conclusion: You will be asked to see many minor injuries in your practice including dog, cat and human bites.  If you suture in your office, be aware that these children need close follow-up in order to make sure that they don’t develop deep infections.

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Department of Pediatrics  |  Medical College of Georgia
Please email comments, suggestions or questions to:
John T.  Benjamin M.D., 
jbenj@mcg.edu

February 27, 2004