Airway management in paediatric emergencies

Due to physiology in children paediatric airway management is much more time-critical compared to airway management in adults. However, paediatric emergencies - especially in the preclinical setting - are not very common and the need for invasive paediatric airway management is rare. This article emphasizes that the child's oxygenation has the highest priority, which usually can be achieved without attempting tracheal intubation. Here we present strategies and concepts that may help to increase the child's safety in cases where invasive paediatric airway management is needed. This is necessary - given the low usually low expertise of the per-hospital health care provider with paediatric emergencies and airway management.