NEET PG 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 NEET PG, 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 NEET PG

22 of 51 cards from the Paediatrics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the normal pattern of weight gain in the first year of life relative to birth weight?

   Birth weight doubles by ~5 months, triples by 1 year, and quadruples by 2 years. Average newborn loses up to 10% of birth weight in the first week and regains it by 10-14 days. Daily gain is ~25-30 g in the first 3 months.

2. What is the formula for expected weight (in kg) of a child aged 1-6 years and 7-12 years?

   For 1-6 years: weight (kg) = (age in years x 2) + 8. For 7-12 years: weight (kg) = (age in years x 7 - 5) / 2. Useful for quick clinical estimation when scales are unavailable.

3. How does length/height progress from birth through childhood?

   Birth length ~50 cm. It increases by ~25 cm in year 1 (to ~75 cm), ~12 cm in year 2 (to ~87.5 cm), then ~6-8 cm/year until puberty. Length doubles by ~4 years and triples by ~13 years.

4. What is the expected head circumference at birth and its growth in the first 2 years?

   Birth HC ~35 cm. It grows ~2 cm/month for the first 3 months, ~1 cm/month for months 4-6, and ~0.5 cm/month for months 6-12 (total ~12 cm in year 1, reaching ~47 cm). By 2 years HC is ~49 cm; by adulthood ~56-58 cm.

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

   The posterior fontanelle closes by 1-2 months. The anterior fontanelle (diamond-shaped) closes between 9 and 18 months. Delayed anterior fontanelle closure suggests hypothyroidism, rickets, raised ICP, or Down syndrome.

6. List the key gross motor milestones from 3 months to 15 months.

   Neck holding ~3 months; sits with support ~5 months; sits without support ~6-8 months; crawls ~9 months; stands with support ~9 months; stands alone ~12 months; walks alone ~12-15 months. Runs by ~18 months.

7. What are the expected social/adaptive milestones: social smile, stranger anxiety, and waving bye-bye?

   Social smile appears by 6-8 weeks. Stranger anxiety develops at ~6-9 months. Waving 'bye-bye' and playing peek-a-boo appear at ~9-10 months. Drinks from a cup by ~12-15 months; feeds self with spoon by ~18 months.

8. What are the language milestones from cooing to two-word sentences?

   Cooing ~2 months; monosyllabic babble ~6 months; bisyllabic babble (mama/dada non-specific) ~9 months; 1-2 words with meaning ~12 months; ~10 words and points to body parts ~18 months; 2-word sentences ~2 years; 3-word sentences ~3 years.

9. What fine motor/grasp milestones distinguish 4, 6-7, 9, and 12 months?

   ~4 months: bidextrous (raking) reach/holds objects. ~6-7 months: unidextrous (palmar) grasp, transfers objects. ~9 months: immature pincer grasp. ~12 months: mature pincer grasp; can release voluntarily; makes a tower of 2 cubes by ~15 months.

10. What are the daily caloric and protein requirements in early infancy versus older children?

    Infancy: ~100-110 kcal/kg/day and ~2-2.5 g/kg/day protein. Requirements decline with age: ~90 kcal/kg (1-3 yr), ~70 kcal/kg (4-6 yr). Protein RDA falls to ~1 g/kg/day in older children. Breast milk provides ~67 kcal/100 mL.

11. When should complementary feeding be started and why not earlier?

    Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months; complementary feeding begins at 6 months because breast milk alone no longer meets energy, iron, and zinc needs. Starting too early risks infection and displaces breast milk; too late risks growth faltering.

12. What is the recommended sequence of steps in the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) initial assessment?

    At birth ask: term? good tone? breathing/crying? If yes, routine care with mother. If no: provide warmth, position airway, clear secretions if needed, dry, and stimulate (the initial steps within ~30 seconds), then reassess heart rate and respirations.

13. In neonatal resuscitation, what heart rate threshold triggers positive-pressure ventilation, and what is the next escalation?

    If HR < 100/min or apnea/gasping after initial steps, start PPV. If HR remains < 60/min despite 30 seconds of effective PPV (with MR SOPA corrective steps) and an advanced airway, start chest compressions at 3:1 ratio with ventilation, plus 100% oxygen.

14. What oxygen concentration is recommended for starting resuscitation in term versus preterm neonates?

    Term and late-preterm (>= 35 weeks): start with 21% oxygen (room air). Preterm (< 35 weeks): start with 21-30% oxygen, titrated to preductal SpO2 targets. Avoid 100% oxygen initially due to oxidative injury risk.

15. 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/umbilical venous, repeated every 3-5 minutes if HR remains < 60/min. Endotracheal dose is higher (0.05-0.1 mg/kg) but IV is preferred.

16. How do you clinically differentiate physiological from pathological neonatal jaundice?

    Physiological jaundice appears after 24 hours, peaks day 3-5 (term), is unconjugated, and resolves by 1-2 weeks. Pathological features: onset < 24 h, total bilirubin rising > 5 mg/dL/day, total > 15 mg/dL, conjugated > 2 mg/dL, or persistence > 2 weeks.

17. What is kernicterus and which bilirubin component causes it?

    Kernicterus is bilirubin-induced neurologic damage from deposition of unconjugated (lipid-soluble, albumin-unbound) bilirubin in the basal ganglia and brainstem. Acute signs: lethargy, hypotonia then hypertonia, retrocollis/opisthotonus; chronic: choreoathetoid CP, gaze palsy, sensorineural deafness.

18. What is the most common cause of early (<24 h) neonatal jaundice, and how is it managed?

    Hemolysis, most commonly Rh or ABO isoimmunization (also G6PD deficiency), causing unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Management depends on bilirubin level/age: phototherapy first; exchange transfusion for very high levels or signs of acute bilirubin encephalopathy.

19. What organisms cause early-onset versus late-onset neonatal sepsis?

    Early-onset (<72 h, vertical) is most often Group B Streptococcus and E. coli (in India, Klebsiella, E. coli, and other gram-negatives predominate). Late-onset (>72 h, nosocomial/community) commonly involves coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staph aureus, Klebsiella, and Candida.

20. What empiric antibiotics are used for neonatal sepsis and what is TORCH?

    Empiric therapy is typically ampicillin plus an aminoglycoside (gentamicin), or a cephalosporin if meningitis is suspected, adjusted to local resistance. TORCH = Toxoplasma, Others (syphilis, HIV, parvovirus, VZV), Rubella, CMV, Herpes simplex — congenital infections causing IUGR, rash, and neuro/hepatic involvement.

21. What clinical sign distinguishes pneumonia from a simple upper respiratory infection in the IMNCI/WHO classification?

    Fast breathing (tachypnea) for age defines pneumonia: >= 60/min (<2 months), >= 50/min (2-12 months), >= 40/min (12-59 months). Chest indrawing indicates severe pneumonia; danger signs (cyanosis, inability to feed, convulsions) indicate very severe disease.

22. What is the most common cause of viral croup and its hallmark features and radiologic sign?

    Acute laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) is most often caused by parainfluenza virus. Features: barking/seal-like cough, inspiratory stridor, hoarseness, low-grade fever. X-ray neck shows the subglottic 'steeple sign'. Treat with single-dose dexamethasone; nebulized epinephrine for stridor at rest.

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