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Special Populations & Operations · Chapter 30 Not started
Pediatric Emergencies
Kids compensate beautifully — right up until they crash. Assessment and care tuned for small patients.
Key points
- Children compensate for shock longer than adults, then deteriorate abruptly — normal blood pressure is NOT reassurance in an injured child.
- The Pediatric Assessment Triangle gives a from-the-doorway impression: appearance, work of breathing, circulation to skin.
- Normal vitals shift with age: infants breathe and beat faster; know the ranges or carry a reference.
- Anatomy matters: proportionally large heads (more head injuries, airway positioning), flexible ribs (internal injury without fractures), growth plates (fractures where adults sprain).
- Assess children on a parent's lap when feasible, get to eye level, and be honest about what will hurt.
- Keep families together; a calm parent is your best assessment and treatment tool.
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