Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children. It is most devastating to infants with certain underlying conditions such as cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, immunosuppressed infants, and those with a history of prematurity. Management of the high-risk infant with RSV is a complex process and requires an understanding of epidemiology, mode of transmission, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, medical treatment and prognosis. Ribavirin therapy is part of the clinical management and must be combined with specific nursing care of those high-risk infants with RSV.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Shaken baby syndrome: a nursing perspective.

Child abuse by whiplash-shaking can lead to severe injury in infants, including cerebral damage, neurological defects, blindness, and mental retardation. These findings are seen often without external evidence of head injury. Nurses should suspect shaken baby syndrome (SBS) in infants less than 1 year of age who present with apnea, seizures, lethargy or drowsiness, bradycardia, respiratory difficulty, coma, or death. Subdural and retinal hemorrhages accompanied by the absence of external signs of trauma are hallmarks of the syndrome.

Child Abuse↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Language development in bilingual children.

Bilingual language ability in children includes a wide range of verbal, written, and comprehension skills. Assessment of language development in bilingual children that is not individualized may yield inaccurate information and result in unnecessary referrals. Primary care nurses need to be aware of differences in language development between mono- and bilingual children in order to accurately assess their language skills.

Child↗