What should you do first for a 9-year-old male with partial-thickness burns around his mouth who is drooling and cannot swallow?

In the situation presented, the best course of action is to begin transport. This approach is critical because the child’s inability to swallow, coupled with drooling and the presence of burns around the mouth, suggests a compromised airway and potential for significant respiratory distress or obstruction. Immediate transport to a facility equipped to manage such emergencies can facilitate quicker and more advanced care.

Beginning transport prioritizes getting the patient to a higher level of care while ensuring that any necessary interventions can occur en route. In emergencies involving airway compromise, time is of the essence, and reaching advanced medical interventions as swiftly as possible is crucial for patient outcomes.

The other options, while perhaps useful at different times or in different contexts, do not address the immediate risks associated with the child’s condition. For example, administration of a metered-dose inhaler could be appropriate if the patient were simply experiencing wheezing or asthma symptoms, but it does not directly address the airway obstruction or risk of asphyxia caused by burns and inability to swallow. Inserting an oropharyngeal airway might not be suitable due to the burns around the mouth, which could increase the risk of further injury or complicate the airway management. Lastly, assessing vital signs is an important step in any evaluation but is not