Pediatric Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, and Neurologic Disorders

Vocabulary flashcards covering assessment, diagnostic tests, and major cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neurologic conditions in pediatric nursing.

Clubbing

The expansion of fingernails or fingertips often caused by prolonged hypoxemia, typically seen in children with congenital heart defects.

Capillary Refill Time

A test of perfusion where a finger/toe is pressed until blanched; normal is $\text{< 2 seconds}$, while $\text{> 5 seconds}$ indicates a serious problem.

S1 and S2

$S_1$ indicates the closing of the AV valves, while $S_2$ indicates the closing of the semilunar valves.

Polycythemia

An extreme increase in the number of RBCs, common in heart disease as the body attempts to increase oxygen-carrying capacity.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

A record of electrical voltages of the heart; the P wave denotes atrial contraction, the QRS complex denotes ventricular contraction, and the T wave denotes ventricular recovery.

Echocardiogram

The primary diagnostic test for heart disease using high-frequency sound waves to create detailed pictures of cardiac structures.

Cardiac Catheterization

The gold standard for coronary imaging; an invasive procedure where a radiopaque catheter is passed through a major vein into the heart.

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

The most common congenital heart defect; an opening in the wall between the right and left ventricles allowing left-to-right shunting.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

A persistent vascular connection between the pulmonary artery and aorta that fails to close after birth, characterized by a 'machinery-like' murmur.

Coarctation of the Aorta

Narrowing of the aortic lumen resulting in high blood pressure in the upper body/arms and low blood pressure/weak pulses in the lower extremities.

Tetralogy of Fallot

A complex defect involving four anomalies: Pulmonary Stenosis, Right Ventricular Hypertrophy, Overriding Aorta, and VSD ('RAPS').

Kawasaki Disease

Acute systemic vasculitis of unknown origin in children <5 years, characterized by 'strawberry tongue' and risk of coronary artery aneurysms.

Meconium

The first stool of a newborn, typically odorless, dark green, and passed within the first 24 to 48 hours of life.

Isotonic Dehydration

The most common type of dehydration where water and salt are lost in equal proportion, causing a decrease in blood plasma volume.

Metabolic Acidosis

An acid-base imbalance often caused by severe diarrhea (\text{pH < 7.35} and \text{HCO}_3^- \text{ < 22 mEq/L}).

Pyloric Stenosis

Obstruction of the pyloric lumen due to hypertrophy, causing forceful projectile vomiting and a palpable 'olive-shaped' mass in the epigastrium.

Intussusception

The invagination or telescoping of one portion of the intestine into another, classically presenting with 'currant jelly' stools.

Hirschsprung Disease

Congenital aganglionic megacolon caused by the absence of ganglion cells in the distal bowel, resulting in mechanical obstruction and ribbon-like stools.

Celiac Disease

A permanent intestinal intolerance to dietary gluten (found in wheat, rye, oats, and barley) that leads to villous atrophy and malabsorption.

Kwashiorkor

A severe form of malnutrition caused specifically by protein deficiency despite adequate calorie intake, often occurring after weaning.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A colorless, alkaline fluid with a specific gravity of $\text{1.004}$ to $\text{1.008}$ that cushions the brain and spinal cord.

Glasgow Coma Scale

A standardized tool used to assess a patient's level of consciousness based on eye-opening, verbal, and motor responses.

Decorticate Posturing

Abnormal posturing indicating cerebral loss, where arms are flexed on the chest and legs are extended/internally rotated.

Hydrocephalus

A condition of excess CSF in the ventricles or subarachnoid space, leading to increased ICP and 'sunset eyes' in infants.

Spina Bifida Occulta

A benign neural tube defect where the posterior laminae of vertebrae fail to fuse, often marked by a tuft of hair or dimple on the lower back.

Myelomeningocele

The most severe form of spina bifida where the spinal cord and meninges protrude through the vertebrae, causing sensory and motor loss below the lesion.

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

A group of permanent disorders affecting movement and posture caused by nonprogressive disturbances in the developing fetal or infant brain.

Status Epilepticus

A medical emergency defined as a continuous seizure lasting longer than $\text{30 minutes}$ or back-to-back seizures without recovery of consciousness.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

A life-threatening sympathetic reflex reaction in spinal cord injury patients (above T6) triggered by stimuli like a full bladder, causing severe hypertension.

Pica

An eating disorder characterized by the persistent ingestion of non-food substances like clay, dirt, or paint chips.