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Paediatric asthma near-fatal — DipIMC MCQ

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ModeratePaediatric and Obstetric EmergenciesPaediatric asthma near-fatalDipIMC

A 10-year-old with asthma is too breathless to speak, has SpO2 86% on air and poor air entry. He is becoming drowsy. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

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Correct answer: D — Oxygen-driven nebulised salbutamol with urgent escalation

Option D is correct because Life-threatening paediatric asthma requires oxygen, nebulised bronchodilator and rapid escalation. Option C is less appropriate because oxygen may be supportive, but it does not address the defining time-critical problem first; option B is less appropriate because vascular access is useful, but it should not delay the immediate priority. Option E is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option A is less appropriate because delay would increase clinical risk. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: JRCALC Guidelines