ABSTRACT
Cardiopulmonary arrest is simply defined as the cessation of spontaneous respiratory effort and circulation manifest as apnoea, absence of central pulses and lack of responsiveness. Overall fewer than 10% of children suffering cardiopulmonary arrest survive to hospital discharge. As cardiopulmonary arrest is rarely seen in children, paramedics, the public and Emergency Department staff should familiarize themselves with national guidelines and published protocols. This has been made increasingly possible with the local availability of life support courses, namely Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
