We were dispatched for a 12-month-old having an allergic reaction. I walked into the clinic room and saw a child being held by her mom. The child was working hard to breathe, hives covered her face and neck, and she looked weak and tired.
As I finished my scene size-up, I quickly realized that we needed an additional resource. Turning to dad, I said, “Go to your car and bring me your daughter’s car seat.”
Always secure pediatric patients in a pediatric-specific car seat. Use the child’s own seat, a seat built into the captain’s chair, or a car seat provided by your agency. Follow local protocols to secure the child’s car seat to the patient cot during transport.
As with any additional resource, request a car seat early. Don’t wait until the assessment is complete.
Read more on crash protection of children in ambulances.
Do you have training photos of securing a child car seat to the ambulance cot? If yes, share them with editor@ems1.com for inclusion in this article.
This article, originally published March 5, 2009 has been updated
