Final answer:
For a pediatric patient with a heart rate less than 60 bpm, assess for symptoms and provide immediate medical intervention if necessary. Monitoring and investigation of underlying causes are important, and treatment may include supplemental oxygen or advanced life support depending on severity and associated symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a pediatric patient's heart rate is less than 60 bpm (bradycardia), it's critical to first assess whether the child shows any signs of distress or symptoms like weakness, fatigue, dizziness, or respiratory distress. In the absence of such symptoms and if the child is otherwise stable, close monitoring and possibly further workup for underlying causes may be sufficient. However, if the child is symptomatic, it may indicate insufficient oxygenated blood to the tissues and immediate medical intervention is required, potentially including supplemental oxygen or advanced life support measures such as CPR if the patient is severely bradycardic and shows signs of poor perfusion. The specific course of action will depend on the overall clinical context, considering possible causes such as metabolic disorders, heart muscle ischemia, or complications from medications.