When performing CPR on a child with an advanced airway, what is the recommended breath rate?

When performing CPR on a child who has an advanced airway in place, the recommended breath rate is every 6-8 seconds. This allows for adequate ventilation while maintaining a proper rhythm of chest compressions.

Using this breath rate ensures that the child receives sufficient oxygenation without interrupting chest compressions too frequently, which can compromise circulation. Continuous chest compressions help maintain blood flow to vital organs, while the ventilations provide necessary oxygen.

In children, the metabolic rate is higher than in adults, hence the slightly more frequent ventilation compared to what might be recommended for adults with an advanced airway. Properly spacing the ventilations also helps prevent hyperventilation, which can lead to complications like decreasing cardiac output or increasing intrathoracic pressure. This makes the 6-8 seconds interval most appropriate for effective resuscitation in a pediatric patient with an advanced airway.