Final answer:
The correct action if a baby is apneic, gasping, or bradycardic (less than 100 bpm) is to initiate chest compressions and provide ventilatory support. This is due to the critical importance of heart rate and respiration for newborns and is consistent with emergency medical guidelines that emphasize the necessity for timely CPR to avoid brain damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you assess breathing, and the baby is apneic, gasping, or bradycardic (less than 100 bpm even if breathing), the appropriate action would be to initiate chest compressions and provide ventilatory support. This is because of the established relationship between heart rate and respiration in the Apgar scoring system, which highlights the critical nature of these functions in a newborn. If a baby's heart rate is below 100 beats per minute, it may indicate the need for immediate medical intervention to resuscitate or stabilize the newborn. Among the critical Apgar criteria, which can help determine if immediate medical assistance is required, heart rate and respiration are at the top.
It's especially important to not delay CPR in such cases because, as noted in emergency care instructions, chest compressions can maintain blood circulation to vital organs such as the brain, which can suffer irreversible damage within minutes without blood flow. According to current standards, compression of the chest should be at least 5 cm deep at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. This immediate care is essential to avoid the severe consequences that can result from prolonged periods without adequate oxygenation or cardiac output, particularly in a newborn.