AED Infants & Children
Most public places in key cities are likely to have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) somewhere. Easy to use and highly sophisticated, the AED allows even people who have never used one before to provide life-saving interventions. Though it may be simple to operate, it is still crucial to ensure that proper AED procedure is performed in stressful situations.
Take Note
- Criteria for AED Use:
- Child or infant is unresponsive after shaking and shouting
- No breathing detected; if any, it is agonal breathing
- No carotid artery pulse detectable
AED Steps for Children and Infants
- Secure an AED (Figure 10a).
- Retrieve it from its case.
- Turn on the device.
- Keep the baby’s chest exposed (Figure 10b).
- Dry it if necessary.
- Peel off existing medication patches, if any.
- Assemble the pediatric AED pads (Figure 10c).
- Peel off the back cover.
- Check the infant’s body for a pacemaker or defibrillator.
Figure 10
- Place the pads onto the infant (Figure 10d).
- Place one pad on the upper right chest above the breast or on the infant’s upper left chest.
- Place the second pad on the lower left chest below the armpit or on the infant’s back.
- If pads will touch on the chest of an infant, apply one pad on the anterior chest and another pad on the posterior of the infant instead.
Take Note
- Continue performing CPR if the AED is not functioning. Do not waste time fixing the AED, as CPR is more important; AEDs are supplemental.
- Do not use AED in and near bodies of water.
Figure 10
AED Steps for Children and Infants, Continued
- Make sure wires are properly attached to the AED (Figure 10e).
- Keep your distance from the infant (Figure 10f).
- Stop CPR operations.
- Warn others not to touch the infant.
- Allow the AED to analyze the rhythm of the infant’s heart.
- If the AED reads “Check Electrodes”, proceed by following these steps:
- Make sure the electrodes are in contact with each other.
- Step back and allow the AED to analyze the heart rhythm again.
- If the AED reads “Shock,” hold the flashing shock button until the shock is released.
- For two minutes, execute CPR (Figure 10g).
- Repeat cycle.