Viral bronchiolitis is the commonest cause of hospital admission in young infants. Respiratory syncytial virus is responsible for most cases of bronchiolitis. Secondary bacterial infection is rare and antibiotics are seldom necessary. Most children with bronchiolitis develop only mild illness and can be managed at home. Infants born prematurely, those with pre‐existing cardiac or respiratory disease, and infants in the first three months of life are more likely to need hospital admission. On current evidence, nebulised adrenaline, inhaled and systemic corticosteroids, and inhaled bronchodilators do not have a role in the routine management of infants with bronchiolitis.

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Few studies have attempted to describe the experience of symptoms in young children with cancer. This is due, in part, to the lack of validated symptom assessment scales for this patient population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of a revised Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) in patients aged 7-12 as an instrument for the assessment of symptoms in young children with cancer. The MSAS (7-12) was administered to 149 children (inpatients and outpatients) who were undergoing treatment at either the Royal Marsden NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom or The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia. Validity was evaluated by comparison with the medical record, parental report, and concurrent assessment on visual analogue scales for selected symptoms. The data provide evidence of the reliability and validity of MSAS (7-12) and demonstrate that children with cancer as young as 7 years can report clinically relevant and consistent information about their symptom experience. Young children with cancer experience multiple symptoms. Approximately one-third had experienced lethargy and/or pain and/or insomnia during the 48 hours prior to the completion of MSAS (7-12). The completion rate for MSAS (7-12) was high and the majority of children completed the instrument in a short period of time and with little difficulty. The instrument appears to be age appropriate and may be helpful to older children unable to independently complete MSAS (10-18). Systematic symptom assessment may be useful in future epidemiological studies of symptoms and in cancer chemotherapy drug trials.

Aims: To (1) estimate the prevalence of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA 1); (2) describe what practices characterise end-of-life care of patients with SMA 1; (3) ascertain whether a consistent approach to the management of these patients exists in Australia. Methods: An audit of the Australasian pathology laboratories offering the diagnostic SMN1 deletion test was conducted for patients diagnosed with SMA in Australia for 2010 and 2011. In addition, a retrospective clinical audit was conducted in eight major Australian paediatric hospitals of the end-of-life care provided to children with confirmed SMA 1 from 2005 to 2010. Results: 35 children were included in the clinical audit, accounting for an estimated 61% of children diagnosed with SMA 1 from 2005-2010. 26% were ventilated invasively, only two of whom were intubated after the diagnosis was confirmed. No children were ventilated longterm (>90 days) or had a tracheostomy performed. Nasogastric tube feeding was a common measure to support adequate nutritional intake. Total parenteral nutrition, gastrostomy and fundoplication were not provided for any children. Conflict over end-of-life care decisions was documented in one instance, without the involvement of a guardianship tribunal.Conclusion: There appears to be a consistent approach in the management of children with SMA 1 in Australia, which can be characterised as 'actively managed dying.' This study could contribute to the development of Australian consensus guidelines for the management of these children. These results also highlight a number of ethical issues related to the management of children with SMA 1.