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. 2023 Sep 1;182(11):5057–5065. doi: 10.1007/s00431-023-05178-8

What is Known:

• Pediatric emergencies are relatively rare in the prehospital setting, but their incidence is higher in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) compared to ground-based emergency services.

What is New:

• On average, HEMS doctors in Germany encounter a critically ill or injured child approximately every 1.5 years in their practice, establish an IV or IO access in infants or toddlers every 2 years, and intubate an infant every 46 years.

• This low frequency highlights the insufficiency of on-the-job training alone to develop and maintain pediatric skills among HEMS crews. Specific interdisciplinary training for HEMS crews is needed to ensure effective care for critically unwell pediatric patients.