All 1 entries tagged Children

10 fingers and 10 toes

Over the course of Core Clinical Education we have had several different themes running throughout. CCE1 was history and examination, CCE2 was investigations and CCE3 focused on basic management. Amongst all this we have also had several speciality areas which have been mixed in amongst all this; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Psychiatry and Child Heath.

For Obstetrics and Gynaecology, we all had the chance to attend shifts on the Labour Ward and spend time with the community midwives. Everyone has an orthopaedics rotation at some point during CCE so we can learn about different types of fractures. For Psychiatry we all attended a Clinical case day with simulated patients to prepare us for our week long psychiatry placements. For child health we have covered a few different topics over the course of CCE which I have thoroughly enjoyed.

In CCE1 the focus was on the new-born assessment, screening programmes and baby checks. We had tutorials to take us through the theory and recap some material from Block 5 in Phase 1. We also spent a day split between the paediatric ward and the special care baby unit. Here we got the chance to see a baby check. The baby I observed in CCE1 was not impressed with us and the paediatrician moved at lightning speed so this week I arranged some time with one of the teaching fellows at George Eliot who specialises in paediatrics.

We found a very chilled out baby and she talked me through the baby check step by step and allowed me the chance to perform some of the examination. Listening to a new-born baby’s heart beating at 150 beats per minute is a bit alarming at first but for babies this is perfectly normal (compared to adults where our heart beat should be 60-90bpm). Getting some hands on experience is invaluable and I am so grateful for the parents who let me practice on their precious new-born.

In CCE2 the focus for child health was acute paediatric medicine. We had some lectures introducing us to history and examination in children. The questions in a paediatric history seem to be endless; you need to ask about the pregnancy, the birth, immunisations, what is their sleep schedule, what do they like to eat, do they have any friends? We spent a morning on the paediatric ward at UHCW speaking to patients and their parents. Some patients are more difficult than others but children are something else entirely, watching the paediatrician exam a wriggly child was as confusing as it was impressive!

In CCE3 the focus has turned to child development. We need to understand how to assess child development and common problems that can cause abnormal development. A full developmental assessment can take up to half an hour and is usually performed by a paediatric registrar. However, we still need to know what the developed milestones are and how we would assess them. We might come across problems in development in GP and we need to be able to assess them competently enough so we can be confident in either providing reassurance or deciding that further investigation and referral is needed.

I have really enjoyed all aspects of the child health theme. Learning the theory is fascinating as the physiology of children is actually very different compared to adults. This year we have had limited practical experience with children in hospital but I have come across plenty in GP. Working with children is hugely rewarding and fun, definitely something to think about when considering future career options!

Joanne

Catrin Davies : 27 Jun 2016 15:22 |  Tags: Children Joanne Mbchb Medicine Paediatrics Warwick Wms |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem