UPSC-CMS 2013 — Pediatrics

Q: Most common cause of intestinal obstruction in childhood is:

Intussusception. ***Intussusception*** - **Intussusception** is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in children between **3 months and 6 years** of age, particularly in infants. - It involves the telescoping of one segment of the intestine into an adjacent segment, leading to obstruction and potentially **ischemia**. *Mucoviscidosis* - **Mucoviscidosis**, or **cystic fibrosis**, can cause intestinal obstruction in newborns due to **meconium ileus**, but it is less common across the entire childhood period than intussusception. - While it is a significant cause of intestinal issues, its prevalence as the *most common overall cause* of obstruction in childhood is lower. *Hirschsprung's disease* - **Hirschsprung's disease** is a congenital absence of **ganglion cells** in the distal bowel, leading to functional obstruction, primarily in **neonates** and infants. - While an important cause of obstruction in early life, its overall incidence is less than intussusception, especially when considering the broader childhood age range. *Volvulus* - **Volvulus** is the twisting of a section of the intestine around its mesentery, which can occur at any age but is less frequent than intussusception in childhood. - It often presents as an acute surgical emergency with severe symptoms, but it is not the *most common* cause of obstruction across childhood. [Practice more Pediatrics PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Child starts speaking short sentences by the age of :

24 months. ***24 months*** - By **24 months (2 years old)**, children typically begin to combine two or more words into **short sentences** and use about 50 words or more. - They also start to follow simple instructions and point to named objects and pictures. *15 months* - At **15 months**, children usually say a few words and can point to show what they want, but **short sentences** are not yet typical. They might use gestures more often. - Their vocabulary is still developing and usually consists of single words like "mama" or "dada." *12 months* - At **12 months (1 year old)**, most children are just starting to say their first words and are primarily communicating through gestures and sounds. - They are generally not forming combinations of words into sentences at this stage. *36 months* - By **36 months (3 years old)**, children have more advanced language skills, using **3-4 word sentences**, understanding most of what they hear, and having a vocabulary of several hundred words. - This age represents a more mature stage of language development than the initial formation of short sentences. [Practice more Pediatrics PYQs on OnCourse]

2 Previous Year Questions with Answers & Explanations

Questions

All Subjects Anatomy (4)Community Medicine (23)Forensic Medicine (1)Internal Medicine (8)Microbiology (1)Obstetrics and Gynecology (31)Ophthalmology (1)Orthopaedics (3)Pathology (3)Pediatrics (2)Pharmacology (7)Physiology (5)Psychiatry (1)Radiology (1)Surgery (17)

Most common cause of intestinal obstruction in childhood is:

Child starts speaking short sentences by the age of :