What is the initial step to take when encountering bradycardia in a child?

The initial step when encountering bradycardia in a child is to assess the child's responsiveness and breathing. This assessment is crucial because it helps determine the severity and potential cause of the bradycardia. Understanding whether the child is responsive or breathing adequately influences the subsequent steps in management.

If the child is responsive and breathing normally, it may not warrant immediate intervention beyond observation and monitoring. However, if the child is unresponsive or not breathing, it indicates a more serious condition and prompts urgent steps to stabilize the child, such as beginning resuscitation efforts or providing appropriate interventions based on the child's clinical status.

The other options, while relevant in different contexts, are not the immediate priority in managing bradycardia. Administering medications like epinephrine or initiating chest compressions might be necessary later depending on the assessment findings, but they should only be performed after establishing an understanding of the child's condition. Providing oxygen can be beneficial, but it does not replace the need for a careful assessment that informs the appropriate course of action.