A child found unresponsive at recess shows no verbal response but withdraws to stimuli. What is the priority intervention?

In a situation where a child is found unresponsive but shows withdrawal to stimuli, the priority intervention must focus on maintaining airway patency and ensuring adequate ventilation. The child’s lack of verbal response indicates a potentially serious condition, and their ability to withdraw to stimuli suggests some level of neurological function but does not guarantee adequate breathing or airway protection.

Preparing for immediate intubation becomes crucial here. This intervention is necessary to secure the airway, as the child may not be able to maintain adequate ventilation due to their altered level of consciousness. Intubation can prevent further complications such as hypoxia or respiratory failure, which are time-sensitive issues in emergency care.

While administering oxygen is important for supporting oxygenation, it does not address the potential for airway obstruction or the inability to ventilate properly, making airway management through intubation a higher priority. Initiating CPR would only be appropriate if there were signs of cardiac arrest, which is not indicated solely by the lack of verbal response or withdrawal to stimuli. Consulting a neurologist is not immediately actionable and does not address the child’s immediate needs for airway management and ventilation. Therefore, focusing on securing the airway through preparation for intubation aligns with the urgent care required in this scenario.