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Work started on the first edition 19 years ago and much has changed in our specialty and in the world around us. Pediatric Emergency Medicine has significantly developed and matured. This is reflected by exciting and important developments in research as evidenced by the publication of many noteworthy studies. There is continued collaboration between the specialties of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine in the mission of providing high quality and safe emergency care of children in emergency departments.
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Our specialty continues to change with new knowledge, pharmaceuticals, and technology. We have extensively revised this edition and we believe that it is an excellent resource for clinicians. We have maintained the organization by body systems but have expanded the content of several sections by transferring chapters from the section on Cardinal Presenting Symptoms where this made sense. Notably, we expanded the content of the previous chapter on pediatric abdominal emergencies into a stand alone section on surgical emergencies. The toxicology section was revised extensively.
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Some chapters were deleted, others were added and the remaining ones were updated. A rather unique new chapter combines carbon monoxide, cyanide, and smoke inhalation reflecting the new management of this common toxic emergency. The infectious disease section has been updated significantly. We have added a new chapter on foreign bodies. Rather than the traditional approach of discussion foreign bodies by body system, we have produced a stand alone chapter intended as a “one-stop shopping” resource for this common Pediatric Emergency Medicine problem. We believe that this is a unique approach for Emergency Medicine texts.
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Every chapter has been enhanced to facilitate access of information and ease-of-use. Photographs, figures, diagrams, tables, and algorithms are used in most chapters. Our sections have broadened the scope of clinical topics but made the text and citations more concise for easy reference by the reader. We have updated the evidence and supporting references to include the most recent guidelines and recommendations from professional societies.
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We are very proud of our product and hope the students, residents, fellows, pediatricians, emergency physicians, and others will find this a useful adjunct to their practice. This work will also be available online via McGraw-Hill's access EM as well as in the print version.
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As well as the change in our specialty, there is change in our editorial team. Robert Schafermeyer is the only remaining editor from the original team. He and Milton Tenenbein are the senior editors for this edition. New editors are Ghazala Sharieff, Lauren Yamamoto, and Charles Macias. Their valued contributions have resulted in an exceptionally strong tome. Anne M. Sydor continues as executive editor for this edition, providing valued advice and assistance. Louise Bierig assisted in the editorial processes. We are pleased to welcome our new authors and we truly want to thank the many returning authors for their excellent work. We also thank the many previous authors for their contributions to the first three editions.
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We would like to thank the retiring editors from the prior editions: William Ahrens MD (three editions) and Robert Wiebe MD (third edition) for their leadership and editorial services. F inally, we thank Gary Strange MD, senior editor for the first three editions. He retired from clinical practice just b efore the start of work on this edition. We are grateful for his vision and tireless work to make this textbook an exceptional resource for clinicians.
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Take care — Senior Editors,
Robert Schafermeyer, MD
FACEP, FIFEM, FAAP
Professor Emeritus
Milton Tenenbein,
FRCPC, FAAP, FAACT, FACMT
Professor