What should be done if AED pads are touching on a 3-year-old child?

When using an AED on a 3-year-old child, placing one pad on the front of the chest and one on the back is the most effective method. This technique allows the electrical current to flow through the heart, which increases the likelihood of successful defibrillation.

By placing the pads in this manner, you create a direct pathway for the shock to reach the heart, improving the chances of reviving the child. This positioning is particularly important for smaller bodies where the pads might overlap if placed on the front alone, risking ineffective delivery of the shock. Using pediatric pads is also important because they are designed specifically for the smaller physiology of a child, but the correct placement of pads will enhance their effectiveness.

While using pediatric pads is an important consideration, options related to improper pad placement could compromise the procedure's effectiveness—such as placing one pad on the chest and one on the stomach, which would not ensure that the shock travels through the heart, or using adult pads, which might be too large and increase the risk of overlapping pads.