Free Medical Study

Paediatrics- Mnemonics

The new born baby 
Resuscitation - Indications 
Mnemonic: IF KEMPT 
I           Instrumental delivery 
F         Fetal distress 
K         Known congenital abnormality 
E         Emergency caesarean section 
M         Multiple births 
P         Prematurity 
T         Thick meconium stains the liquor
Congenital abnormalities 
Features of Downʼs Syndrome 
Mnemonic: DOWNS 
D         Dysplastic ears/Dysplastic pelvis (seen on X-ray)
O         Occiput is flat/Overly large tongue 
W        Widely spaced 1st and 2nd toes and a high-arched palate/Weak/ʼfloppyʼ baby
(hypotonia) 
N         Neck skin abundant 
S         Short, broad hands with single palmar crease/Slanting eyes/Speckled iris
(Brushfieldʼs spots) 

Developmental assessment 
Primitive reflexes 
Mnemonic: MPRAG 
M         Moro 
P         Placing reflex 
R         Rooting 
A         Atonic neck reflex 
G         Grasp reflex 

Infant nutrition 
Breastfeeding - advantages 
Mnemonic: PACES 
P         Psychological satisfaction 
A         Anti-infective property/Atopic disorders risk . 
C         Convenient 
E         Expenseless, ie free 
S         Stimulates growth and development 

Breastfeeding - disadvantages 
Mnemonic: KIDS 
K         vitamin K deficiency in breast-milk 
I           Infection transmission risk eg HIV 
D         Drugs excreted in milk 
S         Stressful and tiring for mother 

Acute presentations – the acutely ill child 
Four main nodes of presentation of serious illness in children 
Mnemonic: SURE 
S         Shock 
U         Unconscious/drowsy/fitting child 
R         Respiratory distress 
E         Emergencies (surgical) 

Clinical presentation of brain tumours 
Mnemonic: BAN HENS 
B         Blurred vision 
A         Ataxia (clumsiness) 
N         Nystagmus 
H         Headache 
E         Endocrine dysfunction
N         Nausea and vomiting
S         Squint (6th nerve palsy) 

Causes of respiratory failure 
Mnemonic: PC FED BRAHMS 
P         Pneumonia 
C         Cystic fibrosis/Croup 
F         Foreign body 
E         Epiglottitis 
D         Drug ingestion 
B         Bronchiolitis 
R         Raised ICP 
A         Asthma 
H         Head injury 
M         Meningitis/muscle weakness 
S         Severe cardiac failure 

Chronic presentations 
Presentation of asthma 
Mnemonic: CWS 
C         Cough (dry/nocturnal/worse with exercise) 
W        Wheeze 
S         Shortness of breath 

Life threatening attack of asthma 
Mnemonic: CHEST 
C         Cyanosis/Confusion/Coma 
H         Hypotension 
E         Exhaustion 
S         Silent chest 
T         Threatening PEFR <33% predicted in those above 5 years old 

Chronic diarrhoea 
Mnemonic: 5 Cʼs 
Inflammatory causes of chronic diarrhoea include: 
C         Crohnʼs disease 
C         Ulcerative Colitis 

Malabsorptive causes of chronic diarrhoea include: 
C         Cystic fibrosis 
C         Coeliac disease 
C         Cowʼs milk intolerance 

Features of Stillʼs disease 
Mnemonic: STILLS 
S         Spiking illness/Severe malaise 
T         There could be myalgia/arthralgia 
I           Increased size of liver/spleen 
L          Lose weight, anaemia 
L          Looks like malignancy 
S         Salmon-pink rash