AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC SHOCK - THE BRAZILIAN EXPERIENCE

Shock in the pediatric population has many preventable causes. Treatme nt of children in shock will depend on access to health services, trai ning of health personnel, availability of diagnostic procedures, monit oring, and therapeutic measures. Countries will differ among themselve s and within themselves in the care provided to children developing sh ock. In Brazil, the majority of children ape cared for in public hospi tals, which often lack resources for basic care, Many children in shoc k do not even reach healthcare services. Investment in training health care personnel in a simplified and systematic approach to shock and ac cess to equipped health set-vices are basic to improved outcomes in th e treatment of pediatric shock. The Brazilian experience in the treatm ent of children in shock outside hospital facilities, in the emergency department, and in the ICU is described.