If you confirm a five-year-old is pulseless and apneic and discover only adult AED pads are available, what should you do?

In the scenario where a five-year-old child is confirmed to be pulseless and apneic, the immediate priority is to initiate life-saving measures without delay. Adult AED pads, although not the ideal choice for pediatric patients, can still be utilized effectively.

By performing CPR while attaching the adult pads, you are ensuring that the child receives critical compressions and ventilations, which can maintain some level of circulation and oxygenation until the AED is ready to analyze the heart rhythm. Using adult pads in this instance is preferred over waiting for appropriate pediatric pads—time is of the essence in cardiac arrest situations, and every minute counts in terms of survival.

It’s important to recognize that while pediatric pads are designed specifically for smaller patients and provide a more precise treatment, adult pads can be applied effectively on young children, ideally placing one pad on the chest and one on the back to ensure proper contact and coverage of the heart.

This approach balances the need for immediate action with the use of available resources and aligns with established resuscitation guidelines for situations where pediatric equipment may not be immediately at hand.