Mon25October0757PM 17

You are called to the paediatric ward where a 5-year-old child has been found 'collapsed' in bed.

The child was admitted the previous day with febrile convulsions and had been due for discharge. The child is safe to approach.

What should be your first basic life support action?

(Please select 1 option)

Apply a gentle stimulus and ask the child if they are alright Correct

Open the airway

Ask the parents to leave

Deliver five rescue breaths

Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Explanation

Paediatric life support is different to adult life support; the primary cause for deterioration is hypoxia.

Current advanced paediatric life support (APLS) guidelines stipulate that after checking for danger, a gentle stimulus should be applied (such as holding the head and shaking the arm) and asking the child "Are you alright?". This is often remembered as Safety, Stimulate, Shout. These actions should precede any airway assessment.

Although five rescue breaths are included in the algorithm, these are performed after the airway assessment.

Asking parents to leave is not suggested unless they are obstructing the resuscitation. A dedicated member of the team should be with them at all times to explain what is happening and answer any questions.

CPR should not be commenced before appropriately assessing the child and delivering rescue breaths.

Answer Statistics

1

79%

2

16%

3

1%

4

5%

5

2%

Times answered: 284