Introduction to Paediatrics and Child Health

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. demonstrate communication skills; 2. demonstrate detailed history taking and physical examination; 3. enumerate types of fluids and instruments/equipment used in paediatric practice; 4. list procedures in paediatric practice; 5. demonstrate setting up of intravenous fluid infusions, lumbar puncture, exchange blood transfusion, bone marrow aspiration; and 6. describe blood film for malaria parasite, urine, stool and cerebrospinal fluid.

Communication skills. History taking and physical examination. Fluids and instruments/equipment used in paediatric practice. Types of fluids, colloids, crystalloids, oral resuscitation, fluids and intravenous fluids, composition and uses of common oral fluids and intravenous fluids. Common instruments and equipment with practical bedside demonstration. Procedures in paediatric practice. Venepuncture, naso gastric tube insertion. Setting up of intravenous fluid infusions. Lumbar puncture. Exchange blood transfusion. Bone marrow 115 aspiration. Blood film for malaria parasite. Urine, stool and cerebrospinal fluid microscopy. Gram stain and chemistry.