Pediatric basic life support

Paediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS) is a rescue procedure which has purpose of preventing the anoxic brain damage by promoting the return of spontaneous circulation and breathing in cases of cardiac arrest.
Unlike adult Basic Life Support (BLS), PBLS is dedicated to pediatric patients. It can be practiced by anyone without help of tools or drugs and is differentiated according to the patient's age
International Guidelines.
About every five years, the European Resuscitation Council publishes updated guidelines about all stages of resuscitation, both for medical staff and for so-called "lay rescuers".
Guidelines provide a rigid evaluation sequence and actions that rule rescuer, occasional or health, in recognition of cardiac arrest in children: this sequence is called "ABC". For babies criteria by which to recognize cardiac arrest are very different and are discussed in a separate section. American Guidelines provide for CAB, that allows the rescuer in case of proven cardiac arrest to begin immediately with cardiac compressions without wasting time to monitor breathing. In fact, it is said that in the rescue every minute is precious.
Guidelines of 2010 have seen a slight pediatric protocol simplification, and have expressly provided that people trained in Basic life support in its version for adults, but that have no specific knowledge of the pediatric version, can and should use the sequence known to them, even on a child.
Those who wish to learn the specific pediatric version should also remember that it is preferable to change the standard sequence by adding 5 initial rescue breaths and practicing one minute of CPR before calling for help.
ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
The process is as follows:
In case of using the protocol for adults just remove the 5 initial rescue ventilations.
Procedure for babies.
In case of newborn babies, if they have:
it is necessary to begin ventilations with a rate of 30 breaths per minute. If, after 15 ventilations (thirty seconds) the heart rate remains below 60 per minute is necessary to begin resuscitation, otherwise continue.
Version for healthcare professionals.
Healthcare professionals are recommended to use, if available, an oropharyngeal airway: in the infant, placed by the use of a tongue depressor and without rotating.After first 5 breaths, if effective, it is also advisable to search for signs such movements, coughing, shortness and possibly only the presence of pulse, for less than 10 seconds.
If air doesn't pass, consider a foreign body obstruction and continue with chest compressions (while carrying out maneuvers of unblocking pediatric in case of unconscious child).