When treating a victim younger than 8 years old, the anatomical differences between child and adult victims must be considered.
The younger child or infant has a relatively large head in proportion to its body. In the supine position (lying face up) the enlarged head can be pushed forward into a hyper-flexed position, thus narrowing the airway and elongating the cervical section of the spine.
In cases of suspected spinal injury in children, the placement of padding under the child or infant’s torso (shoulder to hip) will assist in aligning the victim’s head in the neutral position.