The emergency department approach to newborn and childhood metabolic crisis

For most emergency medicine physicians, the phrases "newborn workup" and "metabolic disease" are, at best, uncomfortable. This article, however, provides a simple approach to the recognition, evaluation, and treatment of infants with all manners of metabolic issues, including hypoglycemia, inborn errors of metabolism, jaundice, and electrolyte abnormalities. The disorders are grouped based on symptomatology, and have simple guidelines for work-up and management, with an emergency department practitioner perspective in mind.