Chapter 53 Susan Fuchs Despite the fact that pediatric calls account for only 13% of ambulance runs [1], they provoke a disproportionate degree of concern and anxiety for prehospital care providers and, in turn, medical oversight physicians. A recent study by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) from 14 EMS ground agencies across 11 states found that the most common chief complaints were traumatic injury (29%), general illness (10%), respiratory distress (9%), behavioral/psychiatric disorder (8.6%), seizure (7.45%), pain/non-chest/non-abdomen (6.5%), abdominal pain/problems (4.5%), and asthma (3.9%) [2] (Table 53.1) [3]. Table 53.1 Top three chief complaints by age [3] Prehospital care providers may be uncomfortable with pediatric patients. This can be due to limited knowledge and skills obtained during initial training, infrequent field experience, or a lack of continuing education. It can also be due to weight-based drug doses and equipment size variations in children. In addition, empathy in treating ill and injured children plays a large role. NAEMSP model pediatric protocols were developed so they would not have to be started from scratch in each system [4]. The particular protocol or algorithm chosen should be based on several factors including the structure of the system (e.g. one-tiered versus two-tiered; EMT versus paramedic), scope of practice decisions, transport times, continuing education requirements, skills retention, system quality improvement, and, of course, resources. Evaluation is an area in which children are truly different. An accurate assessment of a pediatric patient is the key to proper field evaluation and treatment and, in turn, appropriate direct medical oversight. Evaluation should be tailored to each child in terms of age, size, and developmental level. A useful learning tool that may be beneficial for providers is the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT), which looks at Appearance, work of Breathing, and Circulation –a variation on the classic ABCs of primary assessment. This tool was developed by the Pediatric Education for Paramedics Task Force [5] and has been incorporated into the Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP) program [6] and Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) course [7]. The PAT allows the prehospital provider to develop a general impression of the child and determine if life support is needed urgently. The three parts of the triangle are done by watching and listening to the patient and do not require equipment. They can be accomplished from across the room and can be completed in 30–60 seconds. This is the most important component as it determines the severity of injury or illness. It consists of five characteristics, the TICLS mnemonic: Tone, Interactiveness, Consolability, Look/gaze, and Speech/cry. Assessment of tone includes: Is the child moving vigorously or is he limp? Interactiveness reflects how alert the child is: does she react to a voice or an object? Does the child reach for a toy or is he uninterested? Is the child consolable; can she be comforted? Look/gaze: Does the child look at the EMS provider or caregiver, or does the child have a blank expressionless face? Speech/cry: Is the cry or voice strong or weak? [6]. This portion of the tool can give the provider a quick indication of oxygenation and ventilation and can be done without a stethoscope. The characteristics to note include: This helps determine the adequacy of perfusion to vital organs, using three characteristics: If there is an abnormality in one or more aspects of the triangle, this can help the provider decide how severely ill or injured the child is and the most likely physiological abnormality. For example, abnormal appearance and breathing point to a respiratory problem, whereas abnormal appearance and circulation point to a circulatory disorder. Abnormalities in all three areas point to a critically ill child who requires rapid scene interventions. The next step in patient assessment is the ABCDEs. One of the most challenging aspects for prehospital care providers in the assessment of infants and children is that their vital signs change with age, so it is difficult to remember what is within a normal range. Having a table with appropriate vital signs for age is an easy way to solve this problem (Table 53.2). Table 53.2 Vital signs
The special needs of children
Epidemiology of prehospital pediatric care
<1 year
1–5 years
6–12 years
13–18 years
Respiratory distress (27.2%)
Trauma (22.4%)
Trauma (32.8%)
Trauma (31.3%)
General illness (22.4%)
General illness (16.9%)
Behavioral/psychiatric (10.3%)
Behavioral/psychiatric (13.9%)
Trauma (9.8%)
Seizure (16.0%)
Seizure (7.3%)
Pain non-chest/non-abdomen (9.2%)
Evaluation of children
Pediatric Assessment Triangle
Appearance
Work of Breathing
Circulation to the skin
Vital signs
Age
Weight (kg)
Respiration
(min–max)
Heart rate
(min–max)
Systolic blood pressure (min–max)
Premie
1–2
30–60
90–190
50–70
Newborn
3–5
30–60
90–190
50–70
6 month
7
24–40
85–180
65–106
1 year
10
20–40
80–150
72–110
3 year
15
20–30
80–140
78–114
6 year
20
18–25
70–120
80–116
8 year
25
18–25
70–110
84–122
12 year
40
14–20
60–110
94–136
15 year
50
12–20
55–100
100–142 Full access? Get Clinical Tree
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The special needs of children
Source: Lerner EB. (Abstract) Prehosp Emerg Care 2012;16:161. Reproduced with permission of NAEMSP.