Initial management of paediatric medical emergencies

This study conducted in the paediatric emergency department of the N'Djamena University Hospital aimed to improve the management of emergencies in children. It was a prospective descriptive study that included 579 children aged between 1 month and 18 years over a six-month period. Children under 5 years of age accounted for 81.4% of cases with a predominance of males (sex ratio of 1.14). Fever was the main reason for consultation (60.9%). The most frequently performed tests were complete blood count (100%) and thick smear/rapid diagnostic test for malaria (92.5%). Severe malaria was the leading cause of admission (42.7%) followed by respiratory infections (20.4%). The case fatality rate was high reaching 23.3%. These results highlight the importance of strengthening preventive measures and continuously improving the management of paediatric emergencies.