ABSTRACT
Cardiopulmonary arrest is diagnosed when an unresponsive child is apnoeic and has no central pulses. Unrecognized and untreated respiratory insufficiency is the commonest cause. Circulatory failure secondary to fluid/blood loss or maldistribution of fluid (e.g. severe gastroenteritis, burns, overwhelming sepsis and traumatic haemorrhage) is also common. In children a long period of hypoxia often precedes cardiopulmonary arrest, and this can seriously affect the neurological outcome in some survivors. Less than 10% of children who suffer cardiopulmonary arrest survive to hospital discharge. The local provision of life support courses, namely Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), has improved outcome. The United Kingdom Resuscitation Council (UKRC) recommends the algorithms described below.
