Final answer:
The best course of action for a 3-year-old child in severe respiratory distress is to begin gentle ventilations with a bag-valve mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen, which aids in both opening the airways and improving oxygenation of the blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best course of action for a 3-year-old child in severe respiratory distress, who is cyanotic and responds only to painful stimuli with a recent history of sore throat and fever, is to begin gentle ventilations with a bag-valve mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen. This approach helps ensure that oxygen is delivered to the lungs and that the airways remain open without causing additional harm.
Immediate care for a child displaying signs of severe respiratory distress is critical. In such emergency scenarios, bag-valve-mask ventilations with supplemental oxygen can increase oxygenation when spontaneous breathing is insufficient, while waiting for advanced medical support. The introduction of pulmonary surfactant therapy and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can significantly improve outcomes in infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), demonstrating the importance of interventions that support breathing and oxygenation. Performing abdominal thrusts or finger sweeps are not recommended without a clear indication of an airway obstruction due to a foreign object, which does not seem to be the case here.
Additionally, giving supplemental oxygen stabilizes levels of oxygen in the blood, as indicated by the use of a pulse oximeter to measure its saturation. This type of supportive care is in line with current medical practices for managing respiratory distress and is a critical component of emergency pediatric care.