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Infant cardiac arrest — DipIMC MCQ

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EasyResuscitationInfant cardiac arrestDipIMC

An 8-month-old infant is found unresponsive in a cot. The infant is not breathing normally and no pulse can be confidently felt within 10 seconds. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: B — Start paediatric basic life support with five rescue breaths followed by compressions

If signs of life or pulse are absent or uncertain within 10 seconds, paediatric CPR should start. Five initial rescue breaths are recommended because paediatric arrests are often hypoxic. Prolonged pulse checks delay lifesaving support. The pearl is that uncertainty about a pulse in a collapsed child should lead to CPR, not inaction.

Reference: Resuscitation Council UK Paediatric Guidelines 2025