VACAR Annual Report 2011/12 - Ambulance Victoria

PRECIPITATING EVENTS
Paediatric precipitating events
Precipitating events for children who suffer OHCA vary considerably to adults. In comparison,
only 27% of all paediatric OHCA are presumed to be of a cardiac cause. Trauma, respiratory
and terminal illnesses play a greater role in the precipitators of cardiac arrest in children, and
contributed significantly to the probability of survival in this population.
Figure 21: Precipitating
events for paediatric
OHCA events, 2011/12. 1
3%
27%
32%
Cardiac
Trauma
Respiratory
Terminal Illness
Drowning
SIDS
15%
Other
5%
5%
13%
Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is presumed to be the leading cause of OHCA in
individuals aged less than 16 years. In fact, over half of all OHCA events for children aged less
than 2 years are attributable to SIDS. Despite its poor prognosis, these sudden and
unexplained events often receive an attempt at resuscitation by paramedics and first
responders.
Figure 22:
Precipitating events for
paediatirc OHCA
events where
resuscitation was
attempted, 2011/12. 2 35
%
of paediatric OHCA receiving
an attempt at resuscitation by
paramedics are believed to be
caused by SIDS. 2
35%
6%
3%
1%
14%
29%
12%
1. Paediatrics < 16 years, excluding EMS witnessed events.
2. Paediatrics < 16 years, who received EMS attempted resuscitation, excluding EMS witnessed events.
VACAR Annual Report 2011/12 Page 29