Core Knowledge

These are the core cases. The supplementary cases are optional and are provided just for reference.

Work on these cases in a study group.
Don't spend more than 15 minutes on each case.
Supplement this work by doing 10 board review questions each week.

Pediatric Core Knowledge

To jump to case #30, click here.

Students should be able to articulate the three major issues surrounding the following fifty-nine (59) cases. Students should use the core articles and a major text (abridged version is acceptable) as references.

A six-week-old male infant presents to the pediatric emergency room with a temperature of 100.6°.
A two-week-old female infant is admitted for a fever to rule out a serious infection. The work up is unremarkable except for a traumatic (bloody) LP. The infant is on Ampicillin and Cefotaxime. She has a seizure (generalized tonic clonic for five minutes) and is sleepy - presumably post ictal.
A six-week-old male infant has fever and a bulging fontanel. You do a spinal tap Pus comes out of the needle.
An 18-month-old male has an acute onset of fever to 105 in the pediatric emergency room. His history and physical exam do not reveal an obvious source of infection. He looks generally well (not "sick").
You make the diagnosis of a UTI in a one year old girl who presents with fever.
A two-year-old boy has swollen left eye after an insect bite.
A two-year-old boy has a red throat?
A one week old boy has injected conjunctivitis.
A five-month-old by has diarrhea.
A four-week-old infant has two episodes of vomiting green material. His physical exam is benign.
A one year old boy presents to the pediatric emergency room with lethargy. He is extremely sleepy; a student describes him as "looking like he's been smoking marijuana," the rest of his exam is normal.
A seven-week-old boy has been vomiting after every feed. His exam is normal.
A one year old presents with a history of severe episodic abdominal pain. His exam is normal. You witness an episode of pain that subsides in one minute; the abdominal exam is benign.
An infant fails to pass meconium within 24 hours.
A 14-year-old adolescent female presents with a one day history of right lower quadrant pain and low grade fever.
A 16 year old boy collapses while playing basketball. His physical examination is normal.
A 16 year old girl collapses in school. She was riding a crowded elevator at the time.
A 16 year old girl presents to the PER complaining of chest pain. Her physical examination is normal.
A three-year old boy has been vomiting for three days. His physical exam is notable for T 98.6°, RR 24, HR 140, BP 100/60 with a normal abdominal exam.
A six-month-old boy is 10% dehydrated. His labs reveal a Na of 168.
A 16-year-old girl presents DKA. Her PH is 7.10 and her glucose is 800.
A five-year-old boy is clinically dehydrated. His BUN and Creatine are elevated. His urination has decreased significantly.
A three-day-old boy is yellow.
A six-month old's weight is below the fifth percentile.
A teenage girl ingested an unknown amount of Tylenol three hours ago.
A three-year old boy ingested a bottle of prenatal iron pills. He has been vomiting and having diarrhea since then.
A two-year-old girl has fever. The exam reveals a red tympanic membrane.
A two-year-old boy has been coughing for three weeks. It is worse at night.
A 14-year-old girl presents with abdominal pain. She is accompanied by her mother. On the exam she is afebrile and has cervical tenderness.
A 15-year-old girl presents with a three-day history of abnormal vaginal bleeding?
A five-week-old infant boy felt warm at home. He has otherwise been well. His temperature is 100.9°?
A two-year-old boy has been seizing for five minutes in the ER.
A three month old boy presents with fever and irritability. He has a piercing cry.
A five-week-old infant is wheezing and is in respiratory distress.
A three-year old girl has had seven episodes of pneumonia/asthma. She continues to break through her therapy despite excellent adherence. Her therapy consists of nebulized albuterol.
A three year old boy presents to the PER in the morning with noisy breathing and fever. He has a barking cough. He is in severe respiratory distress.
A three day old infant presents in shock.
A newborn infant is blue at birth.
A one year old boy has a Hgb of 7.
A three-year old boy has SS disease.
An eight-year-old by with SS disease has back pain, chest pain, and abdominal pain.
A three year old boy presents with a limp.
A 13-year-old girl presents with a neck mass.
A two year old boy presents with petechiae.
A seven-year-old boy presents with "reddish urine."
A three year old boy presents with swelling of the eyes?
A seven-year-old boy has evidence of hemolytic anemia and decreased urination.
A three-month-old boy is having diarrhea.
A six-year-old boy has a swollen tender knee. He is afebrile. He complains that his elbow was swollen and tender yesterday.
A two-year-old girl has fever and refuses to bear weight on her left leg. She refuses to internally rotate her left hip. X-rays of the entire leg including the hip are normal.
A 13-year-old girl presents in DKA.
A one year old boy presents with five days of fever, conjunctivitis, a rash and swelling of the hands and feet. He is noted to be irritable but consolable?
A three-year old boy has obvious varicella.
A three-month-old boy fell out of his crib and sustained a femur fracture.
A one year old presents with lethargy. He is afebrile and his exam is notable for mild tachycardia and normal pupils.
A three week old boy presents to the ER at 1:00 a.m. He has vomited all day long. His exam is completely normal.
A three year old boy presents with purpura over the extensor surfaces of the leges and has abdominal pain.
A four month old boy has a holosystolic murmur heard best at the lower left sternel border?
A six week old boy vomited and turned blue. His mother felt that he stopped breathing. She started mouth to mouth — and the baby came to. In the PER, the infant's exam is normal.