Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Volume 9, Issue 2 , Pages 68-75, June 2008

Altered Mental Status

  • Rebecca K. Lehman, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests and correspondence: Rebecca K. Lehman, MD, Division of Child Neurology, Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 631, Rochester, NY 14642.
    • ,
  • Jonathan Mink, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
    • Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
    • Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
    • Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

Emergency department physicians are frequently called upon to assess patients with altered mental status. This can be a daunting task for even the most experienced provider because altered mental status is the final common pathway for numerous structural and functional disorders. A rapid but thorough history, physical, and neurologic examination will generally provide insight into the underlying problem. This article provides an algorithm for evaluating these difficult patients followed by specific neurologic examination pearls. This article also reviews the common etiologies for altered mental status.

Keywords: mental status, stupor, coma

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PII: S1522-8401(08)00024-4

doi:10.1016/j.cpem.2008.02.003

Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Volume 9, Issue 2 , Pages 68-75, June 2008

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