It is important that all responders to a tracheostomy emergency know what to do and that they tackle the problem in a logical and coordinated manner. The approach should be the same as with basic and advanced life support – it should be clear to any new responders arriving where the assessment and management is up to.

The emergency paediatric tracheostomy management algorithm has been designed to guide responders in an emergency. It starts by addressing the commonest problems which have the easiest solutions and progresses to more complex management. Vital information regarding the child's tracheostomy is always present at the bedside: these bed-heads display information such as tube and suction size but also if the child has a patent upper airway. This is vital as it will guide the use of the algorithm on the reverse of the bed-head.

Fig 1 shows the resuscitation algorithm for paediatric tracheostomy.

The next several pages explain each section in greater detail.

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