On this episode, host Jason Woods speaks with Dr. Elaine Reno, an emergency medicine physician who is also a wilderness medicine expert, about high altitude illness in pediatrics. We focus on risk factors, identification of illness, and recommendations for initial treatment.

Important points

* Significant altitude illness is rare below 8000 feet

* Pre-verbal children DO experience high altitude illness but can be more difficult to diagnose given the difficulty in communication.

* Dr. Reno strongly prefers slow acclimatization for children, rather than prophylactic medication.

Point of Care Resources

* Wilderness Medical Society

* Colorado Wilderness Medicine

* Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score

* Children’s Lake Louise Score

Guests

Elaine Reno MD – Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine