What should you do if there are no child pads or pediatric attenuator available for an AED?

Using adult pads on a child when no pediatric pads or attenuators are available is the correct approach in this scenario. The rationale behind this is that studies have shown that adult pads can still be effective for delivering a shock to pediatric patients, particularly when no other options exist.

When placing adult pads on a child, it is important to ensure that the pads do not touch each other—this can happen if the child is very small. Positioning the pads correctly is crucial; one pad should be placed on the center of the chest, and the other pad should be placed on the back between the shoulder blades if the child is small enough.

While waiting for emergency personnel, skipping the AED or relying solely on manual CPR may delay the delivery of critical defibrillation, which can be life-saving in cases of cardiac arrest. Finding pediatric pads can be ideal, but it may not be practical in time-sensitive situations where every second counts. Therefore, the use of adult pads is a viable alternative that preserves the opportunity for defibrillation and can contribute to a better outcome for the child.