Pediatrics Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Pediatrics distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

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Quick Reference

Growth and Development Milestones

A set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can perform within a defined age range. Developmental milestones span gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive, and social-emotional domains and are used to screen for developmental delays.

Immunization Schedule

A standardized timeline of recommended vaccines established by organizations such as the CDC and WHO, designed to protect children against infectious diseases at ages when they are most vulnerable. The schedule is based on evidence of immunogenicity, disease epidemiology, and safety data.

Apgar Score

A rapid assessment tool used at 1 and 5 minutes after birth to evaluate a newborn's physical condition. It scores five criteria (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration) each from 0-2, with a total score of 7-10 considered normal.

Failure to Thrive (FTT)

A condition in which a child's weight or rate of weight gain is significantly below that of other children of similar age and sex, typically defined as weight below the 2nd percentile or a drop across two major percentile lines on a growth chart. It may result from inadequate caloric intake, malabsorption, or increased metabolic demand.

Newborn Screening

A public health program of testing performed on newborns within 24-48 hours of birth to identify genetic, endocrine, and metabolic disorders that are treatable if caught early. In the United States, the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) includes over 35 core conditions.

Pediatric Vital Sign Norms

Age-specific reference ranges for heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and temperature in children. These norms differ substantially from adult values and change as children grow, making age-appropriate interpretation essential for accurate clinical assessment.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Potentially traumatic events occurring before age 18, including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction such as parental substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration. Higher ACE scores are associated with increased risk of chronic disease, mental health disorders, and reduced life expectancy in adulthood.

Pediatric Weight-Based Dosing

The practice of calculating medication doses based on a child's body weight (mg/kg) or body surface area (mg/m2) rather than using fixed adult doses. This approach accounts for differences in drug metabolism, volume of distribution, and organ maturity in pediatric patients.

Tanner Stages

A five-stage classification system used to assess the degree of physical maturation during puberty based on the development of secondary sexual characteristics. In females, breast development and pubic hair are evaluated; in males, genital development and pubic hair are assessed.

Kawasaki Disease

An acute febrile vasculitis of unknown etiology that primarily affects children under 5 years of age. It is characterized by prolonged fever, bilateral nonexudative conjunctivitis, erythema of the lips and oral mucosa, cervical lymphadenopathy, polymorphous rash, and extremity changes. Without treatment, 25% of affected children develop coronary artery aneurysms.

Key Terms at a Glance

Anticipatory Guidance:Proactive counseling provided to parents during well-child visits about expected developmental changes, safety precautions, nutrition, and behavioral issues appropriate for the child's upcoming developmental stage.

Apgar Score:A scoring system (0-10) used to rapidly assess a newborn's condition at 1 and 5 minutes after birth based on Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.

Bronchiolitis:An acute lower respiratory tract infection primarily caused by RSV, affecting infants and young children, characterized by wheezing, tachypnea, and respiratory distress.

Centile (Percentile) Chart:A growth chart showing the distribution of a measurement (weight, height, head circumference) across a reference population, used to track a child's growth trajectory over time.

Congenital Anomaly:A structural or functional abnormality present at birth resulting from errors in embryonic or fetal development, including conditions such as congenital heart defects, neural tube defects, and cleft palate.

Croup:Laryngotracheobronchitis, a viral infection (usually parainfluenza) causing subglottic airway swelling that produces a characteristic barking cough, stridor, and hoarseness in young children.

Dehydration:A deficit of total body water caused by decreased intake or increased losses (vomiting, diarrhea, fever). In children, it is classified as mild (3-5%), moderate (6-9%), or severe (>10%) based on percentage of body weight lost.

Developmental Delay:A significant lag in one or more domains of development (gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, cognitive, social-emotional) relative to age-expected milestones.

Failure to Thrive:Inadequate physical growth in a child manifested by weight below the 2nd percentile for age/sex or a significant downward crossing of growth percentile lines, requiring evaluation of nutritional, medical, and psychosocial factors.

Febrile Seizure:A convulsion triggered by fever in children aged 6 months to 5 years without evidence of CNS infection. Simple febrile seizures are generalized, last under 15 minutes, and carry an excellent prognosis.

Fontanelle:Soft spots on an infant's skull where cranial bones have not yet fused. The anterior fontanelle normally closes by 12-18 months; the posterior fontanelle closes by 2-3 months. A bulging fontanelle may indicate increased intracranial pressure; a sunken fontanelle suggests dehydration.

Immunization:The process of conferring immunity to a disease through administration of a vaccine, stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies and memory cells against specific pathogens.

Intussusception:A condition in which one segment of the intestine telescopes into an adjacent segment, causing bowel obstruction. Most common in children 6-36 months and typically involves the ileocecal junction.

Jaundice (Neonatal):Yellow discoloration of skin and sclera caused by elevated unconjugated bilirubin in newborns. Physiologic jaundice is common and benign; pathologic jaundice requires investigation and treatment with phototherapy or exchange transfusion to prevent kernicterus.

Kawasaki Disease:An acute systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology primarily affecting children under 5, characterized by prolonged fever and mucocutaneous findings. It is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries due to coronary artery aneurysm risk.

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