MBBS Paediatrics Syllabus

Paediatrics syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Paediatrics in MBBS, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Normal Growth and Development

   3 topics

   • Growth parameters
     • Weight
     • Length/Height
     • Head circumference
     • Growth charts
   • Developmental milestones
     • Gross motor
     • Fine motor
     • Language
     • Social
     • Cognitive development
   • Nutritional requirements
     • Breastfeeding
     • Formula feeding
     • Introduction of solid foods
     • Nutritional deficiencies
2. 2

   Neonatology

   3 topics

   • Neonatal resuscitation
     • Initial steps
     • Positive pressure ventilation
     • Chest compressions
     • Medications (epinephrine, naloxone)
   • Neonatal jaundice
     • Physiological jaundice
     • Pathological jaundice
     • Kernicterus
     • Management (phototherapy, exchange transfusion)
   • Neonatal infections
     • Neonatal sepsis
     • Pneumonia
     • Meningitis
     • Congenital infections (TORCH infections)
3. 3

   Infectious Diseases

   4 topics

   • Respiratory infections
     • Bronchiolitis
     • Pneumonia (viral, bacterial)
     • Croup
     • Pertussis
   • Gastrointestinal infections
     • Acute gastroenteritis
     • Rotavirus infection
     • Hepatitis A
     • Typhoid fever
   • Central nervous system infections
     • Meningitis (bacterial, viral)
     • Encephalitis
     • Febrile seizures
   • Vaccine-preventable diseases
     • Diphtheria
     • Tetanus
     • Pertussis
     • Measles
     • Mumps
     • Rubella
     • Polio
     • Hepatitis B
     • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
     • Pneumococcal disease
     • Meningococcal disease
     • Varicella
     • Influenza
     • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
4. 4

   Respiratory Disorders

   3 topics

   • Asthma
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical Features
     • Diagnosis: Spirometry
     • Diagnosis: Peak Flow Meter
     • Management: Inhaled Corticosteroids
     • Management: Bronchodilators
   • Bronchiolitis
     • Etiology
     • Clinical Features
     • Diagnosis
     • Management: Supportive Care
     • Management: Oxygen Therapy
   • Cystic fibrosis
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical Features
     • Diagnosis: Sweat Chloride Test
     • Management: Airway Clearance Techniques
     • Management: Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement
5. 5

   Gastroenterology and Nutrition

   3 topics

   • Diarrheal diseases
     • Acute diarrhea
     • Persistent diarrhea
     • Chronic diarrhea: Inflammatory bowel disease
     • Chronic diarrhea: Celiac disease
   • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
     • Clinical features
     • Diagnosis (pH monitoring)
     • Management: Lifestyle modification
     • Management: Proton pump inhibitors
   • Malnutrition
     • Marasmus
     • Kwashiorkor
     • Vitamin A deficiency
     • Iron deficiency anemia
     • Nutritional rehabilitation
6. 6

   Congenital heart diseases

   5 topics

   • Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
   • Atrial septal defect (ASD)
   • Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
   • Tetralogy of Fallot
   • Coarctation of the aorta
7. 7

   Febrile seizures

   4 topics

   • Simple febrile seizures
   • Complex febrile seizures
   • Risk factors
   • Management
8. 8

   Acute kidney injury (AKI)

   4 topics

   • Etiology
   • Clinical features
   • Diagnosis
     • Serum creatinine
     • Urine output
   • Management
9. 9

   Type 1 diabetes mellitus

   4 topics

   • Pathophysiology
   • Clinical features
   • Diagnosis
     • Blood glucose
     • HbA1c
   • Management
     • Insulin therapy
     • Carbohydrate counting
10. 10

    Allergic disorders

    5 topics

    • Allergic rhinitis
    • Allergic conjunctivitis
    • Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
    • Food allergies
    • Anaphylaxis

Paediatrics flashcards for MBBS

22 of 61 cards from the Paediatrics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. How do you calculate the expected weight (kg) of a child aged 1–6 years using the standard paediatric formula?

   $$\text{Weight (kg)} = (\text{age in years} \times 2) + 8$$

2. What is the formula for expected weight in infants aged 3–12 months?

   $$\text{Weight (kg)} = \frac{\text{age in months} + 9}{2}$$

3. By what age does a healthy term infant typically double and triple its birth weight?

   Birth weight doubles by about 5 months and triples by about 12 months (and quadruples by 24 months).

4. What is the average length/height gain in the first year of life and at age 4 years?

   Length increases by about 25 cm in the first year (50 cm at birth $\to$ ~75 cm at 1 year). Birth length doubles by age 4 ($\approx$ 100 cm).

5. What is the formula for expected height (cm) in a child aged 2–12 years?

   $$\text{Height (cm)} = (\text{age in years} \times 6) + 77$$

6. What is the normal head circumference at birth, and how much does it grow in the first year?

   At birth $\approx 35$ cm. It increases ~2 cm/month for the first 3 months, then slower, reaching $\approx 47$ cm at 1 year (total ~12 cm gain).

7. How is Body Mass Index calculated, and how is overweight/obesity defined in children?

   $$\text{BMI} = \frac{\text{weight (kg)}}{[\text{height (m)}]^{2}}$$ In children: overweight = BMI $\geq 85\text{th}$ percentile; obesity = BMI $\geq 95\text{th}$ percentile for age and sex.

8. At what ages do the anterior and posterior fontanelles normally close?

   Posterior fontanelle closes by 1–2 months; anterior fontanelle closes by 9–18 months (average ~18 months).

9. List the key gross-motor milestones: head control, sitting without support, standing, and walking independently.

   Head control ~3 months; sits without support ~6 months; stands with support ~9 months; walks independently ~12–15 months.

10. At what ages does a child typically achieve social smile and stranger anxiety?

    Social smile by ~6 weeks (2 months); stranger anxiety by ~6–9 months.

11. Describe the normal speech milestones: monosyllables, first words, and 2-word sentences.

    Cooing ~2 months; babbling/monosyllables ~6 months; first meaningful words (mama/dada) ~9–12 months; 2-word phrases by ~2 years.

12. What fine-motor milestone is expected at 9 months versus 12 months?

    9 months: immature (raking) pincer grasp; 12 months: mature pincer grasp (thumb and index finger) and can release objects voluntarily.

13. What are red-flag developmental warning signs that warrant referral?

    No social smile by 3 months, no head control by 4 months, not sitting by 9 months, not walking by 18 months, no words by 18 months, and loss of previously acquired skills (regression).

14. What are the daily fluid maintenance requirements by the Holliday-Segar method?

    100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg; +50 mL/kg for the next 10 kg; +20 mL/kg for each kg above 20 kg (per 24 h).

15. What are the estimated daily caloric requirements of a healthy infant versus a 1-year-old child?

    Infant (0–12 months) $\approx 100$–110 kcal/kg/day; at 1 year $\approx 100$ kcal/kg/day, decreasing by ~10 kcal/kg per 3-year period thereafter.

16. What is the recommended daily protein intake for infants versus older children?

    Infants $\approx 1.5$–2.2 g/kg/day; gradually falls to $\approx 1$ g/kg/day in older children/adolescents.

17. When should exclusive breastfeeding be practised and when should complementary feeding begin (WHO)?

    Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months; introduce complementary foods at 6 months while continuing breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond.

18. What is the recommended vitamin D supplementation dose for breastfed infants?

    400 IU/day of vitamin D, started within the first few days of life and continued through infancy.

19. State the steps of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) initial steps within the first 'golden minute'.

    Provide warmth, dry and stimulate, position the airway and clear secretions if needed, then assess breathing/heart rate. If apnoeic or HR $< 100$ bpm, begin positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) — all within ~60 seconds.

20. During neonatal resuscitation, at what heart rate is chest compression started and at what ratio?

    Start chest compressions if HR $< 60$ bpm despite 30 seconds of effective PPV. Use a compression-to-ventilation ratio of $3:1$ (90 compressions + 30 breaths = 120 events/min).

21. What oxygen concentration is recommended to initiate resuscitation in term versus preterm neonates?

    Term ($\geq 35$ weeks): start with 21% (room air). Preterm ($< 35$ weeks): start with 21–30% oxygen, titrating to preductal $\text{SpO}_2$ targets.

22. What is the dose and route of epinephrine in neonatal resuscitation?

    Epinephrine $0.01$–$0.03$ mg/kg ($0.1$–$0.3$ mL/kg of 1:10,000) IV/IO; if endotracheal, $0.05$–$0.1$ mg/kg. Given if HR remains $< 60$ bpm after adequate ventilation and compressions.

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