Orange County paramedics receive life-saving tool to treat infants

Fire truck
Photo credit Getty Images

Paramedics in Orange County have a new tool to help treat infants.

It’s called an infant warming mattress, a single-use tool that heats up to 104 degrees. KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian spoke to Sean Doran, with the Orange County Fire Authority, about the new tool.

“In a healthy infant, skin-to-skin contact, as we all know, is best, along with the stocking caps and blankets we can also lay over the baby and the mom,” he said. “When we have a sick baby who we need to access better, this warming mattress is a great option.”

Doran said the warming mattress can be essential after drowning, trauma, and respiratory or cardiac arrest.

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“In this particularly vulnerable population to have something like this where we can effectively work, and especially in those critical situations where we're breathing for that child, to be able to see that chest rise and fall, and also know that the child is being warmed at the same time is a win for us,” he said.

Doran also said this tool will also result in a better outcome for the child being treated.

The Orange County Fire Authority is the first department in the county to get this new tool.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images