It’s a scary moment for even the most experienced first responder. The baby has been delivered in the hospital parking lot and isn’t breathing. Or a newborn’s parents call, sobbing, and report that their baby is in respiratory distress. Caring for babies facing respiratory emergencies is emotionally and physically challenging work. That’s because babies’ airways are much smaller than adults’, and the stakes are very high. A respiratory injury to a baby in respiratory distress can prove catastrophic. Here’s what you need to know to provide exceptional care to your most vulnerable patients.

It's three a.m. and you have just been dispatched to a "pediatric difficulty breathing." As you rub the sleep from your eyes, you perform a quick mental review of PALS protocol, just in case. Perhaps the child simply has a cold, and the parent has panicked. It happens all the time. But perhaps it's something more serious. You had better be ready for anything.