Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is a group of advanced medical interventions aimed at restoring heart and breathing functions in life-threatening pediatric emergencies. This type of support involves specialized procedures that require advanced medical skills, such as the use of defibrillators, specialized medications, and ventilators. Learning how to provide this type of care is critical, as it increases children’s chances of survival in emergency situations.

What is the difference between basic and advanced life support for children?

It is important to understand the difference between basic and advanced pediatric life support, as both represent an essential step in saving lives, but differ in the procedures and tools used.

1. Basic life support for children: Basic Life Support (BLS) is the first step taken in a medical emergency, and includes elementary procedures that anyone can learn and apply. BLS aims to provide immediate assistance to children who have difficulty breathing or cardiac arrest, through techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using only hands or using a ventilator. BLS focuses on maintaining circulatory continuity and ensuring that oxygen reaches vital tissues until advanced medical help arrives.
2. Advanced life support for children: While basic life support is limited to initial procedures, advanced life support (ALS) involves advanced medical procedures using specialized medical tools. ALS aims to improve the chances of survival for children with emergencies such as sudden cardiac arrest, or serious respiratory issues. Advanced life support for children includes the use of specialized medications, electric shocks to the heart (if it stops), and the use of ventilators to help the child breathe. ALS focuses on restoring vital body functions through advanced medical procedures.

Thus, pediatric advanced life support includes medical interventions that require advanced training and skills, while basic life support is a procedure in which anyone trained to perform immediate actions can contribute while awaiting the arrival of advanced medical care.

Causes of pediatric cardiac arrest and how to deal with it immediately

Pediatric cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that can occur suddenly and needs rapid intervention to prevent death or damage to vital tissues. There are many causes of pediatric cardiac arrest, some of which can be summarized as follows:

1. Respiratory issues: Respiratory arrest is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in children. In an emergency, a child may have difficulty breathing due to blocked airways, burns, or acute respiratory diseases such as pneumonia. Respiratory arrest can lead to a lack of oxygen in the blood, resulting in cardiac arrest.
2. Bodily injuries: Accidents that result in severe head, chest or abdominal injuries can lead to cardiac arrest. Such injuries may affect the function of vital organs, putting the child’s life at risk.
3. heart disease: Some babies may be born with heart conditions that cause the heart muscle to weaken, such as congenital heart defects or heart rhythm disorders. These conditions can lead to cardiac arrest in the absence of proper support.
4. Severe infection or poisoning: Severe infections such as septicemia or encephalitis may lead to a breakdown of vital organ functions and thus cardiac arrest.

How to deal with pediatric cardiac arrest?

In case of cardiac arrest, you should immediately start applying Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for children, which includes specific steps:

• Make sure it’s safe: Before approaching the child, first make sure the place is safe.
• Check the response: Check the child’s response using sound or touch.
• Seek medical help: Immediately call 911 for specialized medical assistance.
• Start CPR: If there is no response, CPR should be initiated using specific techniques depending on the age and size of the child.

If the trainee is not trained in advanced life support, they must provide basic support while waiting for specialists to arrive.

Why is hands-on training key to learning advanced pediatric life support?

An important aspect of learning pediatric advanced life support is practicum, which is the basis for preparing practitioners to deal with emergencies efficiently. Hands-on training not only helps in understanding the theories related to advanced medical interventions, but also gives the trainee the ability to practice medical procedures in a realistic simulated environment.

The importance of hands-on training:

1. Apply skills in emergency situations: Through practical training, the trainee learns how to act quickly and effectively in emergency situations, which cannot be achieved through theoretical study alone.
2. Learn advanced techniques: Advanced life support requires the use of specialized medical tools, such as defibrillators, ventilators, and certain medications. Hands-on training provides the opportunity to learn how to use these tools effectively.
3. Stress response: In emergency situations, the stress on the practitioner may be high, requiring the ability to make quick decisions under pressure. Hands-on training enhances trainees’ ability to deal with this pressure and achieve optimal results.
4. Simulate real-life situations: Through simulation, trainees can be trained to deal with different scenarios that they may encounter in real life. This helps them adapt to any emergency situation that requires advanced pediatric life support.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training Course with EMTC EMTC provides trainees with the opportunity to acquire those practical skills that allow them to handle emergencies with confidence and competence.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is an essential component of emergency health care, contributing significantly to saving the lives of children with life-threatening health conditions. Through advanced life support, doctors and practitioners are able to take the necessary measures quickly and accurately, enhancing the chances of survival. Advanced training, especially hands-on training, is the key to enabling practitioners to deal with these cases effectively. Therefore, investing in training courses such as the Pediatric Advanced Life Support course with the EMTC is essential to ensure that the best pediatric healthcare is provided in emergency situations.