Important notices
Please note, the reporting instructions below are for cases seen in May 2023. For reporting instructions from previous months please view the download section at the foot of this web page.
When reporting a case, please keep details of patients for reference.
Please inform the BPSU office of retirements or circumstances that will affect your ability to return the orange e-card. Complete the report card by ticking "nothing to report" or indicating the number of cases of the listed conditions seen in the month specified.
1. Progressive intellectual and neurological deterioration (excluding Republic of Ireland)
Case definition: Any child under 16 years of age at onset of symptoms who fulfils all of the following three criteria:
- progressive deterioration for more than three months, with
- loss of already attained intellectual/developmental abilities, and
- Development of abnormal neurological signs.
Excluding: Static intellectual loss, for example after encephalitis, head injury or near drowning.
Including: Children who meet the case definition even if specific neurological diagnoses have been made.
- metabolic disorders leading to neurological deterioration
- seizure disorders if associated with progressive deterioration
- children that have been diagnosed as having neurodegenerative conditions but not yet developed symptoms.
Reporting restricted to: Cases seen in the last month but including those whose conditions began earlier (ie including `old cases’ of children in follow-up if seen in that month).
Reporting instructions: Please report any child seen in the last month who meets the case definition, including those who have already been given a specific diagnosis.
More about progressive intellectual and neurological deterioration study
2. Acute Hepatitis 22 (excluding Scotland)
Case definition: Any case where the clinician has made a clinical diagnosis of acute hepatitis with the following:
- Discrete onset of symptoms suggestive of hepatitis (e.g. fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, rash, itch, joint or muscle ache, dark urine, pale coloured stools, nausea or vomiting);
AND - Elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (>500IU/L)
- Age between 1 month and 15 years (inclusive)
- Presenting to hospital any time from 1 January 2022
Reporting instructions: Please report any case of acute hepatitis which meets the case definition above that occurred from 1 January 2022 irrespective of whether an infectious agent is identified.
More about the Acute Hepatitis 22 study
3. Near Fatal Asthma
Case definition: Cases will be defined as (1) or (2) or (3)
1. Any child aged 5-15 years surviving* an acute episode of asthma, who when presenting self-ventilating with severe dyspnoea (e.g. inability to speak) and all the following features:
a. Pulse oxygen saturation below 92% despite maximal oxygen therapy (i.e. 10-15l/min oxygen flow via non-rebreather mask) during acute presentation and
b. pH <= 7.2 and/or pCO2 >=60mmHg or 8kPa and
c. Escalation to use of intravenous bronchodilator infusion
2. Any child aged 5-15 years surviving* an acute episode of asthma, who had a respiratory arrest and/or required cardiopulmonary resuscitation as part of their presentation.
3. Any child age 5-15 years surviving* an acute episode of asthma for which he/she was invasively ventilated.
*surviving to hospital discharge
Reporting instructions: Please report any case that meets the above definition. Clinicians are encouraged to report the event even if final outcome is not yet known or the patient is still receiving ongoing care in hospital
More about the Near Fatal Asthma study