PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jake P Mann
AU  - Kathy Gallagher
AU  - Emer Fitzpatrick
AU  - Anil Dhawan
TI  - Fifteen-minute consultation: liver disease in children
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2017-313036
DP  - 2017 Nov 09
TA  - Archives of disease in childhood - Education & practice edition
PG  - edpract-2017-313036
4099  - http://ep.bmj.com/content/early/2017/11/09/archdischild-2017-313036.short
4100  - http://ep.bmj.com/content/early/2017/11/09/archdischild-2017-313036.full
AB  - Liver disease in children can present in many ways from the frequently encountered prolonged neonatal jaundice to the comparatively rare acute liver failure. In this article, we will discuss ‘red flags’ of liver disease, the initial investigations required and when to refer to a specialist liver centre. Across all presentations, the degree of elevation of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase provides only little diagnostic information. Measurement of clotting is vital, and coagulopathy should be followed by a trial of intravenous vitamin K before being repeated.