Acute pancreatitis in children.
Acute pancreatitis in childhood is not a rare condition, and it should be considered in all children presenting with acute abdominal complaints. A complete history should be obtained, with emphasis on recent trauma or infection, current medications, and the presence of any chronic diseases. After a thorough physical examination, simple ancillary studies including noninvasive imaging techniques will confirm the clinical suspicion. Appropriate aggressive treatment, instituted early, will help to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. Most children with acute pancreatitis will recover with conservative management and suffer no significant long-term sequelae.
Mader
T J
TJ
Department of Emergency Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199.
McHugh
T P
TP
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy