Understanding Infant, Child and Adolescent First Aid
Why Age and Size Matter in Paediatric First Aid
Children come in different ages, sizes and stages of development. When providing paediatric first aid, it is important to understand these differences because the way first aid is delivered can vary depending on the child’s age and size.
Although every child is different, resuscitation guidelines provide age categories to help first aiders decide on the most appropriate treatment.
Paediatric Age Definitions
Current resuscitation guidance generally defines young people as follows:
- Infant: Birth to 1 year old
- Child: 1 to 12 years old
- Adolescent: 13 to 18 years old
These age groups are particularly important when dealing with emergencies such as choking, breathing difficulties or cardiac arrest, where treatment techniques may differ.
Using Your Judgement When Treating Children
It is not always easy to know a child’s exact age during an emergency. Children of the same age can vary greatly in size and development.
In these situations, it is important to use your judgement and do your best. For example, if an infant is too large for infant chest compression techniques using your thumbs, it may be more appropriate to use the technique commonly used for a child.
The key principle is to adapt your first aid approach based on the size of the casualty and the situation in front of you.
Why CPR Can Differ Between Adults and Children
When an adult collapses unconscious and is not breathing, the cause is often more likely to be a cardiac problem. Because of this, adult CPR usually starts with chest compressions first.
In children and infants, however, emergencies are often more likely to begin as a respiratory problem, such as choking, illness or breathing failure.
For this reason, paediatric resuscitation often begins with rescue breaths before chest compressions, following current first aid training and resuscitation guidance.
Why Blood Loss Is More Serious in Children
Children have a smaller blood volume than adults, which means blood loss can become serious much more quickly.
For example, whilst losing a litre of blood would be serious for an adult, the same amount of blood loss in a young child would represent a much larger percentage of their total blood volume and could become life-threatening far more quickly.
This is why recognising and responding to bleeding quickly is especially important in paediatric first aid emergencies.
Managing Emotions During a Child First Aid Emergency
When dealing with any paediatric first aid incident, emotions can run high. The child may be frightened, parents or carers may be distressed, and you may also feel worried or overwhelmed.
Try to remain calm and remember that your training is there to guide you. By staying focused and acting quickly, you can provide professional and effective first aid that may make a significant difference to the child’s outcome.
Key Point to Remember
In paediatric first aid, age, size and likely causes of illness or injury matter. Do your best, use your judgement and follow your training.
Even in stressful situations, remaining calm and taking action can help give a child the best possible chance of recovery.
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