Common Acute Illnesses

Clinical Presentation Common Conditions Less Common Conditions

Cough
  1. URI
  2. Pneumonia
  3. Croup
  4. Bronchiolitis
  5. Bronchitis
  6. Asthma
  7. Sinusitis
  1. Cystic Fibrosis
  2. Pertussis
  3. Tuberculosis
  4. Foreign body aspiration
  5. Gastroesophageal Reflux
  6. Chlamydia pneumonitis

Fever
  1. Bacteremia-occult
  2. UTI → pyelonephritis
  3. Viral illness (nonspecific)
  4. Viral exanthems (varicella, measles, fifth disease)
  5. Roseola
  6. Scarlet fever
  1. Osteomyelitis
  2. Meningitis
  3. Febrile convulsions
  4. Septic arthritis
  5. Kawasaki’s disease
  6. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  7. Viral exantham (rubella)
  8. Tuberculosis

Sore Throat
  1. Pharyngitis – strep, scarlet fever
  2. Mononucleosis
  1. Rheumatic fever
  2. Cervical adenitis
  3. Peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses

Otitis/Ear Pain
  1. Otitis media
  2. Recurrent otitis media
  3. Middle ear effusion
  1. Deafness
  2. Speech and language delay
  3. Mastoiditis

URI
  1. Conjunctivitis
  2. Cellulitis
  3. Allergic rhinitis
  4. Sinusitis
  1. Periorbital/orbital cellulitis

Abdominal Pain
  1. Appendicitis
  2. UTI → pyelonephritis
  3. Gastroenteritis
  4. Constipation
  5. PID
  6. Colic
  1. Vasculitis (e.g. HSP)
  2. Intussusception
  3. Gastritis
  4. Pregnancy
  5. Encopresis
  6. IBD
  7. Peptic ulcer
  8. Ovarian/testicular torsion
  9. Psychogenic abdominal pain
  10. Malignancy
  11. Incarcerated hernia

Vomiting
  1. Gastroesophageal reflux
  2. Pyloric stenosis
  3. Gastroenteritis
  4. As secondary to infections (strep pharyngitis, otitis)
  1. Volvulus/bowel obstruction
  2. DKA
  3. Increased intracranial pressure
  4. Hepatitis
  5. Pyelonephritis
  6. Pregnancy
  7. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Diarrhea +/- vomiting
  1. Gastroenteritis
  2. Viral
  3. Bacterial
  4. Giardia
  1. Failure to thrive
  2. Hemolytic/uremic syndrome
  3. Dehydration

Dermatitis/Rash
  1. Acute urticaria
  2. Atopic dermatitis
  3. Contact dermatitis
  4. Monilial skin infections
  5. Scabies
  6. Impetigo/cellulitis
  7. Tinea infections
  1. Anaphylaxis
  2. Drug reaction
  3. Stevens-Johnson syndrome
  4. Seborrheic dermatitis

Trauma
  1. Animal bite wounds
  2. Burns
  3. Child abuse
  1. Tetanus
  2. Rabies

Joint/Limb problems
  1. Tendonitis
  2. Infections (toxic tenosynovitis, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis)
  3. Congenital hip dislocation
  4. Injury
  1. Nurse maid’s elbow
  2. Arthritis (JRA)
  3. Sickle cell crisis
  4. Rheumatic fever
  5. Leukemia/tumors
  6. Osgood-Schlatter disease
  7. Legg-Calve’-Perthes disease
  8. Slipped femoral capital epiphysis

CNS problems
  1. Headaches (migraine, tension)
  2. Seizure disorders, febrile convulsions
  3. Closed head trauma
  1. Increased ICP
  2. Brain tumor
  3. Hydrocephalas

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