Paediatric Emergencies (PALS) Flashcards

Normal respiratory rate for an infant (0-1 year) is approximately:

Answer: 30-60 breaths per minute

Infants have a significantly higher respiratory rate than adults (30-60/min) due to their smaller tidal volumes and higher metabolic rate; rates outside this range indicate respiratory distress or failure.

The Paediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT) assesses which three parameters?

Answer: Appearance, Work of breathing, and Circulation to the skin

The PAT provides a rapid (30-second) visual assessment: Appearance (tone, interactiveness, consolability, gaze, speech/cry), Work of breathing (sounds, position, retractions, nasal flaring), and Circulation to skin (pallor, mottling, cyanosis).

In PALS, the primary cause of cardiac arrest in children differs from adults in that it is most commonly:

Answer: Respiratory failure or shock leading to hypoxic cardiac arrest

Unlike adults where VF/pVT is common, paediatric cardiac arrest is predominantly caused by respiratory failure or shock progressing to hypoxia, making airway management and early oxygenation the most critical interventions.

The first-line medication for anaphylaxis in a child is:

Answer: Epinephrine (adrenaline) IM into the anterolateral thigh — 0.01mg/kg of 1:1000 (max 0.5mg)

Epinephrine IM is the only first-line, life-saving treatment for anaphylaxis in children; antihistamines and corticosteroids are adjuncts only and should never delay or replace epinephrine.

In a child with signs of upper airway obstruction (croup), the recommended pre-hospital treatment is:

Answer: Nebulised adrenaline (epinephrine) 5ml of 1:1000, dexamethasone, and cool humidified oxygen

Nebulised adrenaline (reduces subglottic oedema through vasoconstriction), oral/IM dexamethasone (reduces inflammation), and humidified oxygen are the cornerstones of moderate-to-severe croup management.

Normal systolic blood pressure for a 5-year-old child is approximately:

Answer: 90-100 mmHg (formula: 90 + (2 × age in years))

The normal lower limit for systolic BP in children is estimated at 70 + (2 × age in years); the normal value is approximately 90 + (2 × age). A 5-year-old's normal SBP is approximately 90-100 mmHg.