ABSTRACT
Whilst sharing some of the problems of older children, they have their own special pathologies and needs, even further removed from the problems of adults. Many of these babies are critically ill and it is usual for a suitably trained neonatal pediatrician and neonatal nurse to accompany them. In most centers the transportation of the newborn is considered a specialty in its own right. The concept of ‘an intensive care bed on the move’ indicates the quality of care expected from a good pediatric intensive care transport system. With all transfers, the details of the patient must be discussed between the referring and receiving medical teams at senior level. Knowledge of the major differences in anatomy and physiology is essential for the medical flight team, and the most critical of these can best be summarized according to the familiar principles of advanced life support, that is, in terms of the airway, respiration and circulation.
