Pediatric emergencies.

The unique anatomic and physiologic characteristics of neonatal and pediatric patients make diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment a challenge. Adult parameters cannot be relied on in these patients, and an awareness of these unique characteristics is essential for any practitioner with a neonatal and pediatric patient base. In addition, many laboratory and pharmacologic data differ dramatically in neonates compared with adults of the same species. Familiarity with these variations is essential in the monitoring and treatment of the neonatal and pediatric illness, such as hypovolemia, shock, and sepsis.