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Pediatric Restraint


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I like that quite a bit, it covers the weight range for larger children better than the pedimate, unfortunately, looking at the specs it has the same shortcoming. With a low end weight limit of 5kg it doesn't capture the neonate pt. population. This has been the area that in the past I've found is most difficult to secure in the vehicle and where I usually have to strap in their own childseat using the stretcher belts.

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We store our child seat in one of our side compartments. Nothing bigger then your average child seat bought at Walmart or other such store. They are usually donated by families who have children that have out grown them. After the manufactures specified experation date we get rid of them and if we do not have another we usually purchase then at a store.

As far as my opinion on size and weight I defer to the manufacturer of the product. We usually highlight the numbers with red paint or similiar so as to be noticed quickly. Also if necessary I defer to the parents, if they have a child seat in there car and use it so will I. Then of course we have to follow our State laws which of course superseed all others LOL

New Jersey's child passenger safety law requires: spacer.gif

Children under 8 years of age who weigh less than 80 pounds to ride properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle. If there is no rear seat, the child may sit in the front seat, but s/he must be secured by a child safety seat or booster seat. Children under 8 years of age who weigh more than 80 pounds to ride properly secured in a seat belt.

Passengers 8 to 18 years of age (regardless of weight) ride properly secured in a seat belt.

Passengers 8 to 18 years of age (regardless of weight) ride properly secured in a seat belt.

Your local laws my differ so please follow all applicable laws.

Hope this helps some. if you would like more info feel free to ask away.spacer.gif

Edited by UGLyEMT
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Man, I'm guessing I'm the only evil medic here that often didn't use restraints for my peds. (In an all adult environment now)

There was a winter where we were spanked by RSV (http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/rsv.html) and some of these kids were sick, sick, sick. We had child seats for them to sit in but the seats tended to keep them folded a little bit more in the middle than I liked, limiting their tidal volume (Or so I believe(ed)) Also, taking them from their moms when they were febrile,and hungry for air often seemed to cause them to struggle and increase their O2 demands, and I hated that...

Most often it was mom strapped to the cot, child in mom's lap, on her chest, with mom holding the NRB or doing blow by O2 while I did/continued treatment and assessments. Of course these were longer transports, maybe, I doubt it, but maybe I would have made different decisions if I'd had 10-15 min transports....

I'm sure that these are just stupid excuses and/or there were better ways to accomplish the same thing, but I don't/didn't see them then or now. Sometimes peds need to be handled in the way that's best for their little brains/bods despite what's currently PC, IMO.

Dwayne

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Pedi-mate seems to be the most compact pediatric restraint system when stored. Has anyone experienced any difficulties with the product? What's good and what's bad about it? Do you think it's better than conventional car seats?

Pedi-Mate vs Car Seat; Pedi-Mate has its advantages.

It's easy to clean and maintain. It's light and simple to use. It's so compact, making it easy to store, taking very little shelf space. The great thing about it, is that the child/baby can be placed in a supine, low-fowler's, medium-fowler's & high-fowler's position. Plus, since the Pedi-Mate attaches to the stretcher; if the patient should go into Arrest (Cardiac or Respiratory), CPR/Rescue Breathing can be quickly performed on the patient. There is greater accessibility to the child/baby when they are secured on it. Since the Pedi-Mate is made of rip-resistant nylon; it is not absorbent, so fluid (blood, urine, etc) is easy to detect on the patient (sides and voids). Whereas, on the car seat it is cotton material, so it will soak up the fluid.

This is my experience with the Pedi-Mate vs the Car Seat...

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Waylon:

I like the ARC the best just from a safety transport aspect for medically related calls (trauma requires proper spinal restriction) especially with over the shoulders straps for sudden unexpected braking or reverse thrust in fixed wing and with the RSV type patient that Dwayne has encountered and a better way to go (policy in Alberta Flying is they either must be in a approved carrier or restrained or in an incubator) the car seat was never designed for transport of sick kids but better than loose baggage.

A bit further north than podnuk corners the velcro straps have been abandoned due to the porous material and Infectious Disease control issues. 2c6 sure diligently washing is awesome but when short turn arounds are needed and one is dealing with a known pathogen velcro is virtually impossible to assure no transmition of disease. I would if designing something "modern day" with H1N1, RSV, and SARS go with all non porus.

Have you seen the "Papoose" carrier ? Yes a few to many sizes but the concept is good sans velcro that is http://www.quickmedical.com/olympicmedical/circumstraint/papoose_boards.html

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Waylon:

I like the ARC the best just from a safety transport aspect for medically related calls (trauma requires proper spinal restriction) especially with over the shoulders straps for sudden unexpected braking or reverse thrust in fixed wing and with the RSV type patient that Dwayne has encountered and a better way to go (policy in Alberta Flying is they either must be in a approved carrier or restrained or in an incubator) the car seat was never designed for transport of sick kids but better than loose baggage.

A bit further north than podnuk corners the velcro straps have been abandoned due to the porous material and Infectious Disease control issues. 2c6 sure diligently washing is awesome but when short turn arounds are needed and one is dealing with a known pathogen velcro is virtually impossible to assure no transmition of disease. I would if designing something "modern day" with H1N1, RSV, and SARS go with all non porus.

Have you seen the "Papoose" carrier ? Yes a few to many sizes but the concept is good sans velcro that is http://www.quickmedi...ose_boards.html

Tniuqs:

That's a good point. I will take disinfection into account as an aspect of cleanability. Right now, my only solution to not using Velcro is to use three-pronged plastic snapfit buckles. If anyone has better ideas, please post.

I have seen the Papoose but thought the problem is that one has to buy all four sizes, which will cost more than $2000. Storage might be a problem with the Papoose system, too. Do you know if the Papoose can be fastened to cots? It doesn't say on the link you posted.

Thanks a lot!

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I believe that there are plastics right now that have "built in" anti bacterial properties ?

Yes agreed ... maybe to reduce the number of restraint devices to ONE per rig, a extention of sorts as in one size fits all ? I know that design is not my thing, hell I have difficulty putting Ikea funiture together . :blink:

Yes have used Papoose and no secure way of attaching to cot , good for a hospital setting for procedures as those squirmy little buggers are not easy to start a line on ... and Inter osseous (IO) is not preferred way for IV in a hospital antibiotic admin situation or fluid replacement.

Yup with all the new improved super bugs MRSA, VRE +++ a good marketing position, besides and except for 2c6 due diligence most of us just don't have the time to use a nail brush, that said IDC issues is a very serious gap in education of the EMS provider's, generally speaking.

cheers

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I believe that there are plastics right now that have "built in" anti bacterial properties ?

Yes agreed ... maybe to reduce the number of restraint devices to ONE per rig, a extention of sorts as in one size fits all ? I know that design is not my thing, hell I have difficulty putting Ikea funiture together . :blink:

Yes have used Papoose and no secure way of attaching to cot , good for a hospital setting for procedures as those squirmy little buggers are not easy to start a line on ... and Inter osseous (IO) is not preferred way for IV in a hospital antibiotic admin situation or fluid replacement.

Yup with all the new improved super bugs MRSA, VRE +++ a good marketing position, besides and except for 2c6 due diligence most of us just don't have the time to use a nail brush, that said IDC issues is a very serious gap in education of the EMS provider's, generally speaking.

cheers

Question:

Which areas of the pediatric patient's body needs to be exposed for medical attention and access? An EMS equipment sales person told me that both the chest and the abdomen need to be exposed becasue otherwise breathing would be impeeded. How much truth is there? Also, what kind of medical proceedures are most often performed on pediatric patients? Thanks!

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