Child and Adolescent Health
Core concepts
Community child health emphasizes growth and development, immunization schedules, nutrition, injury prevention, and school health. Know developmental milestones and red flags. Understand adolescent health (mental health, substance use, sexual health, risk-taking) and screening (vision, hearing, anemia, growth). Familiarity with integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) and oral rehydration therapy helps.
Traps in questions
- Confusing milestones (e.g., walking by 18 months) with abnormal delay.
- Missing dehydration signs in diarrhea.
- Recommending adult doses for children.
- Overlooking adolescent confidentiality and consent.
- Ignoring injury prevention as a leading cause of child mortality.
Worked example / rule of thumb
A child with diarrhea and sunken eyes, lethargy, and inability to drink has severe dehydration-start Plan C (IV fluids) and refer. Rule of thumb: use IMCI danger signs (lethargy, convulsions, inability to drink, vomiting everything) to decide urgent referral.
Key teaching points
Growth monitoring and immunization are core. Recognize dehydration severity. Protect adolescent confidentiality.