Pediatric Fear Factor

As EMS providers, we are trained to handle the most critical emergencies, whether it’s a 67-year-old male with chest pain, a 72-year-old female experiencing a stroke, or a 65-year-old in cardiac arrest. We often respond to these calls calmly and continue our shift. However, nothing induces more fear and anxiety than a pediatric call. Initial training often limits pediatric care to just a few chapters in a textbook, and continuing education can sometimes be reduced to a quick merit badge course, leaving significant gaps in pediatric knowledge and decreasing our preparedness to care for children. This results in increased stress, a higher likelihood of mistakes, and the instinct to leave the scene quickly before even arriving. This session will cover how to approach pediatric calls in the same way we respond to adult calls, helping providers get into the right mindset when dealing with children and shifting how we think. We will discuss some of the most common fears, myths, and misconceptions about pediatric care in EMS so that fear won't be a factor for you!