Pediatric BLS

Overview

Pediatric Basic Life Support is a life-saving skill comprising of high quality CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and Rescue Breadths with Artificial External Defibrillator (AED).

• Bystander CPR - Bystander resuscitation plays a key role in out of hospital CPR. A study by Maryam Y Naim et all found out communities, where bystander CPR is practiced, have better survival outcomes in children less than 18 years from out of hospital cardiac arrest(CA).

• Two studies (Total children 781) concluded that about half of the Cardio-Respiratory arrests in children under 12 months occur outside the hospital.
• Good Prognostic Factor upon arrival at the emergency department-
  • The short interval between arrest and arrival at the hospital.
  • Less than 20 minutes of resuscitation in the emergency department.
  • Less than 2 doses of epinephrine.

Causes of Cardiac arrest(CA) in children.

• Ventricular Fibrillation
• Pulseless Ventricular tachycardia
• Children with preexisting cardiac disorders
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Anomalous coronary artery (from the pulmonary artery)
  • Long QT syndrome
  • Myocarditis
• Drug intoxication (eg, tricyclic antidepressants, digoxin, cocaine)
• Commotio cordis

References

Classification

• Pediatric Basic Life Support is classified according to age
  • Age - Less than 1 year - Infant Basic Life Support
  • Age - 1 year to Puberty - Child Basic Life Support
  • Age - After Puberty - Adult Basic Life Support

Algorithm

• Pulse present but cannot breathe.
• No Pulse and not breathing.