An 18-month-old boy is carried into the emergency department floppy and unrousable. He has vomited several tim…

Question

An 18-month-old boy is carried into the emergency department floppy and unrousable. He has vomited several times over the past day and has refused food since yesterday morning. He is afebrile and well perfused, his breathing is quiet and unlaboured, there is no rash, his anterior fontanelle is closed and his pupils are equal and reactive. There is no history of trauma and no medicines in the house. Which one of the following should be done first?

Accepted Answer

Check a capillary blood glucose

Answer

Give intravenous ceftriaxone

Answer

Obtain venous blood for electrolytes

Answer

Perform a computed tomography head scan

Answer

Perform a lumbar puncture

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