Paediatric Critical Care: High-Stakes Decisions, Real-World Practice

About this episode

This episode compiles critical conversations on paediatric care in high-stakes pre-hospital scenarios.

This Paediatric Critical Care Compilation brings together three of the most important conversations we’ve released on the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast. Caring for critically unwell or injured children in the pre-hospital environment is rare, high-stakes, and cognitively demanding, and getting it right matters. In Part 1, we speak with Anna Dobbie on Paediatric Assessment in Critical Care with a focus on the fundamentals of paediatric assessment. From structured approaches to airway, breathing, circulation, and neurological evaluation, to recognising the subtle red flags that signal serious illness, this episode builds a framework for managing children of all ages under pressure. Part 2 expands into the conditions you are most likely to encounter in the field. Joined by Sarah Edwards, we explore respiratory infections, asthma, seizures, gastroenteritis, dehydration, febrile illness, and trauma. The emphasis is on pattern recognition, early prioritisation, and avoiding common pitfalls. We also examine the critical role of caregivers and the communication skills required to manage fear, uncertainty, and complexity in real time. In Part 3, we tackle one of the most challenging scenarios…

People in this episode

Host: Eoin Walker

Guests: Anna Dobbie, Sarah Edwards, Paul Banerjee

Topics covered

• Paediatric Critical Care
• High-Stakes Decisions
• Pre-Hospital Environment
• Cognitive Demands
• Paediatric Assessment
• Respiratory Infections
• Cardiac Arrest

Keywords

• paediatric care
• critical care
• assessment
• respiratory infections
• cardiac arrest
• trauma
• dehydration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

More episodes of Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

• Major Incident Management: Lessons from the Frontline · June 11, 2026 · 1h 8m
• From Frazzle to Flow: Mental Focus, Rehearsal, and Peak Performance in Pre-Hospital Care with Dr Stephen Hearns · June 8, 2026 · 54 min
• Grief and Bereavement: Understanding Loss in Pre-Hospital Care · June 4, 2026 · 59 min
• From Black Hawk to HEMS: Decision-Making Where It Matters Most with Kodey Bogart · June 1, 2026 · 50 min
• Aeromedical Medicine: The Flying ICU. Where Physiology Meets Aviation with Dr Ina Schmidt · May 30, 2026 · 30 min
• Neurodivergence in Pre-Hospital Care: ADHD and Autism with David Birch · May 25, 2026 · 41 min