Basic%20life%20support%20-%20pediatric Diagnosis

• Quickly check for the "signs of life": normal breathing, coughing or spontaneous movement of the child
• Gently stimulate the child
  • Do not shake child if spinal cord injury is suspected
• Ask loudly "Are you all right?"

Assess Child & Get Help

Responsive Child

• Allow the child to remain in the most comfortable position
• Check condition
• If alone, get help or if available, send someone for help
• Reassess regularly

Unresponsive Child

• Shout for help
• Leave child in present position if able to assess
• If unable to assess in present position, turn child on to his back
  
  • Roll child as a unit so head, shoulders & torso move together without causing the body to twist

• If head or neck injury is suspected, move the child only if necessary

Assess Breathing & Circulation

Check child’s breathing

• While evaluating for responsiveness, briefly check for signs of abnormal breathing or absence of breathing
  
  • Note that gasping is NOT normal breathing

• Assessment should take <10 seconds

Check child for signs of circulation

• Check for pulse
  
  • Infants: feel for brachial pulse
  • Children: feel for carotid or femoral pulse

• Palpation of pulse is not the only determinant for the need to do chest compressions
• No more than 10 seconds should be spent checking for circulation
  
  • If no pulse is felt or rescuer is not sure if pulse is present, begin chest compressions 

• If a palpable pulse ≥60/minute is present but there is inadequate breathing, rescue breaths should be given
  
  • Reassess the pulse about every 2 minutes (but do so in <10 seconds)

• If the pulse is <60/minute and with signs of poor perfusion (eg pallor, cyanosis, mottling) despite ventilation support, initiate chest compressions