Pancreatitis
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Acute pancreatitis, the most common pancreatic disorder in childhood,1,2 is a costly and increasingly recognized disease. Studies from the United States, Mexico, and Australia have reported…
Feeding Issues
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Feeding difficulties are frequent comorbid conditions in infants and children with both acute and chronic illnesses and can alert the clinician to an underlying condition. In…
Disorders of Gastric Emptying
BACKGROUND AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY Print Section Listen Passage of the alimentary bolus from the stomach to the duodenum constitutes an important anatomical and functional transition point in the digestive process. The…
Liver Failure
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Liver failure, or hepatic failure, is a clinical condition that results from significant hepatocyte dysfunction or death. It differs from hepatitis in that patients must have…
Constipation
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Constipation is a common pediatric disorder, with studies citing a prevalence up to 30% with a median of 9% of children;1 however, in special patient populations…
Dehydration
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Dehydration occurs when there is fluid loss in excess of intake. Although fluid losses can occur for different reasons, gastrointestinal losses are the most common. Dehydration…
Fluid and Electrolyte Therapy
PHYSIOLOGY OF WATER AND ELECTROLYTE REGULATION Print Section Listen DISTRIBUTION OF WATER, CATIONS, AND ANIONS Total body water is distributed as follows: two-thirds in the intracellular space and one-third in…
Disorders of Calcium Metabolism
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and is required for proper functioning of numerous intracellular and extracellular processes, including muscle contraction, nerve conduction,…
Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen The adrenal gland is responsible for producing two kinds of signaling molecules: steroid hormones, produced in the outer adrenal cortex, and catecholamines, generated in the adrenal…
