Length of stay for ‘well’ near term (30-36 week gestation) babies varies between units and between countries, with the UK average being discharge at 36+2 weeks corrected. What strategies are in place in your unit to help these ’small but well’ babies get out of precious neonatal cots into their own lovingly decorated cribs at home? And more to the Archimedes point - is there any evidence these interventions work?

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Is the frequency of recurrent chest infections, in children with chronic neurological problems, reduced by prophylactic Azithromycin?
You see Jonny, an 8 yr old boy with severe dystonic CP as a result of his premature birth at 26 wks gestation with another chest infection. He is mainly gastrostomy fed and had a Nissen’s fundoplication 5 yrs ago at the same time his gastrostomy was inserted. He has copious secretions and a poor cough reflex; these are made worse by Nitrazepam he requires for his dystonia. Evidence from previous barium studies and swallow assessments show that he chronically aspirates his secretions. He has no symptoms of upper airway obstruction. He has had increasingly frequent lower respiratory tract infections over the last year, requiring admission and intra-venous antibiotics (a total of four times in 2006). His weight and height have fallen from the 10th to the 3rd percentile. A chest x-ray shows chronic changes suggestive of underlying bronchiectasis. Immune function and Sweat test are normal. He awaits a CT scan. He has daily physiotherapy and regular suction and usually produces copious muco-purulent secretions. He is on maximal anti-reflux medication already. Would prophylactic Azithromycin reduce his risk of further LRTI? Or might it increase growth of multi resistant organisms within his sputum?

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Should gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue be administered to prevent premature ovarian failure in young women with systemic lupus erythematosus on cyclophosphamide therapy?
A 15 year old girl with acute renal failure was found to have class IV systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephritis on renal biopsy. A decision was taken to start her on the routine National Institute Health protocol of pulsed methyl-prednisolone and monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide (CYC) (0.5–1.0 g/m² of body surface area). With her post pubertal status and the possibility of CYC induced gonadal toxicity, the question was raised as to whether she should be put on gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue ( GnRH-a ) therapy for ovarian protection.

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Should paediatric critically ill patients receive insulin therapy to maintain strict normoglycaemia?

Joseph, a 4 year old boy with septic shock, lactic acidosis and multi-organ failure has been admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. Mechanical ventilation, vaso-active support, and renal replacement therapy (CVVHD) are initiated. His serum glucose level is 10.5 mmol/l. The senior consultant decides to order insulin therapy in order to maintain strict normoglycaemia, but the junior fellow argues that there is no evidence that strict normoglycaemia improves outcome in critically ill children.

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