Real-Life Communication
It's flu season again. As usual in the winter and early spring,
the number of patients in the waiting room begins to swell.
As the physician
assistant, you can often take care of people who have common colds and flu
without having them visit the directing physician. However, you must make
a careful diagnosis of each patient because people may also have other more
dangerous diseases.
Currently, you are seeing Suzette and her young
daughter, Amy. Amy is only four, so while you ask her how she is feeling and
where it hurts, you rely on Suzette for some of the information about Amy's
condition.
This is what she tells you:
"Just after we finished
breakfast, Amy came downstairs and complained that she felt very ill. It was
all very sudden, and my husband and I feel just fine. I thought maybe it was
just a touch of a flu or something, but after breakfast she rapidly felt much
worse.
"She vomited and complained of a severe headache. She complained
that her neck felt stiff and that she was dizzy. Now, as you can see, she
just seems listless and drowsy. I'm very worried. I can't think
what it might be because she hasn't been around anybody sick today or
yesterday. She was at a day care, but that was four days ago.
"What
is the matter with her? What should I do?"
This doesn't sound like
an ordinary case of the flu. This sounds an awful lot like meningitis. Meningitis
is a serious disease that is fatal in five to 10 percent of cases. It must
be treated as a medical emergency.
This is what you know about meningitis:
Meningococcal
meningitis occurs in countries around the world. Like other common illnesses,
it is seasonal, usually occurring in the winter and early spring. This is
a serious disease that can be fatal.
The highest disease rates are found
in young children. However, during an epidemic it can affect older children
and young adults.
Meningitis is transmitted by direct contact. Droplets
from the nose and throat of infected people can transmit the disease. It usually
takes two to 10 days to manifest itself. The average time is three to four
days.
Symptoms of meningitis are the sudden onset of an intense headache,
a fever, nausea and vomiting. The patient may have a stiff neck, although
this isn't always the case in very young children. The patient may also
be lethargic or delirious.
Questions:
- Name three conditions Amy has that make you think she may have meningitis.
- Even though Amy hasn't been around kids today, what makes you think
she could have come in contact with someone who has meningitis?