You have been called for a 4-year-old female who is short of breath. Her mother informs you that she has had a fever and runny nose for two days and today began to have difficulty breathing. Furthermore, the mother is having a difficult time waking her daughter up. You find the girl lying in bed with snoring respirations despite use of the head-tilt, chin-lift airway maneuver. Your assessment reveals her to be responsive to painful stimuli and breathing at 12 times per minute with minimal chest and abdominal rise and fall. Her skin is warm to the touch with cyanosis around the lips. Your partner informs you that her heart rate is 124 beats per minute. What is your immediate action in caring for this child?

Question

A) Positive pressure ventilation
B) Suctioning the airway
C) Application of a nonrebreather face mask and oxygen
D) Insertion of a nasal airway

Answer 1

D) Insertion of a nasal airway