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Paediatric sepsis — DipIMC MCQ

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ModeratePaediatric and Obstetric EmergenciesPaediatric sepsisDipIMC

A 2-year-old is drowsy with fever, mottled limbs, capillary refill 5 seconds and no wet nappies for 12 hours. What is the most appropriate management?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: E — Give oxygen if needed, support circulation and transport urgently with pre-alert

Option E is correct because Drowsiness, mottling and prolonged capillary refill suggest high-risk sepsis or shock. Option C is less appropriate because watchful waiting risks deterioration or delays definitive care; option B is less appropriate because the clinical risk exceeds that destination or timeframe. Option A is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option D is less appropriate because analgesia is important but not sufficient as the primary intervention. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: JRCALC Guidelines; NICE Fever in under 5s