Paeds BLS Flashcards
infant is
<1
child is
1-18
difference in airway between child and adult
- Large tongue
- Large head
- Large epiglottis
- Short neck and protuberant occiput
- Funnel shaped, narrow trachea
- Floor of mouth is easily compromised
difference in breathing between child and adult
- Respiratory rate: infant 30 – 40 bpm
- Low O2 reserve – high O2 consumption
- Alveolar interface in children is 3m square
- Alveolar interface in adults is 70m square
- Children become hypoxic very quickly
difference between child and adult circulation
- Infant heart rate: 140 bpm
- Circulating volume in infants is 240mls
- Brachial pulse check in children < 1 year old
- Carotid pulse check in children > 1 year old
- Femoral pulses are also an option
9 common causes of airway obstructions
- Congenital abnormalities
- Secretions
- Infection
- Pharyngeal swelling
- Trauma
- Epiglottis
- Foreign body
- Drowning
- CNS depression
severe bradycardia in child deteriorates into (2)
- Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
- Asystole
morbidity and mortality rates of child cardiac arrhythmias
high
- Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival rate 4-12%
- <5% of children will survive without neurological impairment
paediatric cardiac arrest inter-related triangle
primaru respiratory arrest <-> severe tissue hypoxia <-> secondary cariac arrest
severe tissue hypoxia causes myocaridal infarction

SSSABCR
S = safety
S = stimulate (verbal/tactile)
S = shout
A = airway
B = breathing
C = circulation
R = reassess
first S in SSSABCR
safety
second S in SSSABCR
stimulate
- Infant
- Tug hair
- Move their arms
- Shout
- Child
- Shake their shoulders
- Shout
third S in SSSABCR
shout for help
A in SSSABCR
airway
- Infant
- Jaw thrust
- Head in neutral position
- Finger sweep
- Child
- Head tilt, chin lift
- Head in the ‘sniffing the morning air’ position
- Finger sweep
- Never perform a blind finger sweep

B in SSSABCR
breathing
- Look, listen and feel for 10secs
- Simultaneous with pulse check
- Look for other signs of life
C in SSSABCR
- Infant
- Check a brachial/femoral pulse
- Check for no longer than 10 seconds
- Look for other signs of life
- Child
- Check a carotid pulse
- Check for no longer than 10 seconds
- Look for other signs of life

what to say on the phone to 999 when child in cardiac arrest
- Child in cardiac arrest
- Not breathing normally
- Location
- Telephone number
what to do in absence of normal breathing in child
give 5 rescue breaths
NEVER touch the soft tissues under the chin

CPR for child
Perform CPR if no pulse or rate is below 60bpm
15 compressions: 2 ventilations
Reassess after 1 minute
Allow the chest to recoil
ratio for child CPR
15 compressions: 2 ventilations
child compressions
- Lower half of the sternum
- Locate the xiphisternum, compress one finger’s breadth above this.
- Depress by 1/3 of the anterior posterior depth (5cm approx.)

infant compressions
- Trace along the ribs
- One fingers breadth above the xiphisternum
- Place two fingers or two thumbs (encircling technique)
- Compress the sternum 1/3 of the anterior posterior depth (4cm approx.)

defibrilation in child under 8
1 – 8 years of age use paediatric pads
- Placement anterior/posterior
- 50 – 70 joules

what is this

infant BVM
what is this

child BVM