Paediatric emergencies: ETAT triage: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Paediatric emergencies: ETAT triage

Sample item

In the emergency triage assessment and treatment approach, which child must receive immediate emergency treatment?

AA child with convulsions or obstructed breathingBA child with mild diarrhoea and no dehydrationCA child with a minor cut who is playfulDA child with a mild cough and no fever

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. A child with convulsions or obstructed breathing

ETAT sorts children into emergency, priority and non-urgent groups. Emergency signs include obstructed or absent breathing, severe respiratory distress, central cyanosis, shock, coma or convulsions and severe dehydration, and they need immediate treatment.

Option by option

A. A child with convulsions or obstructed breathing (correct)
Correct. These are emergency signs.
B. A child with mild diarrhoea and no dehydration
Mild diarrhoea without dehydration is non-urgent.
C. A child with a minor cut who is playful
A minor injury in a playful child is non-urgent.
D. A child with a mild cough and no fever
A mild cough is non-urgent.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is A, A child with convulsions or obstructed breathing. ETAT sorts children into emergency, priority and non-urgent groups.

Why is "A child with mild diarrhoea and no dehydration" not the answer?

Mild diarrhoea without dehydration is non-urgent.

Why is "A child with a minor cut who is playful" not the answer?

A minor injury in a playful child is non-urgent.

Why is "A child with a mild cough and no fever" not the answer?

A mild cough is non-urgent.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paediatric emergencies: ETAT triage in Pediatrics. Emergency signs include obstructed or absent breathing, severe respiratory distress, central cyanosis, shock, coma or convulsions and severe dehydration, and they need immediate treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Paediatric emergencies: ETAT triage?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.