Acute respiratory failure in children.

Hammer J

doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2013.02.001

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Journal article

Acute respiratory failure in children.

Hammer J Division of Intensive Care and Pulmonology, University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB), Spitalstrasse 33, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. juerg.hammer@unibas.ch

2013-04-23

Published in:

Paediatric respiratory reviews. - 2013

Intensive Care Units, Pediatric

English Acute respiratory failure is the most common medical emergency in children. One aim of this review is to discuss the physiologic peculiarities that explain the increased vulnerability of infants and children to any pathology affecting the respiratory tract. The other aim is to highlight the importance of history taking and correct physical examination for early recognition of an impending catastrophic progression of respiratory failure. Under most circumstances, correct physical examination alone allows one to pinpoint the cause to a particular part of the respiratory system and to make the appropriate decisions for a proactive and life-saving management of the critically ill child.

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