After a child falls and shows signs of a head injury, what should be the initial airway management?

The initial airway management in a child who has suffered a head injury should focus on minimizing the risk of further injury, particularly to the cervical spine, and ensuring the airway is open. The jaw-thrust maneuver is particularly effective in situations where there might be a spinal injury because it does not require the tilting of the head, which could potentially exacerbate any injury or compromise the spinal cord. This technique allows for the airway to be opened without applying pressure to the cervical spine.

Stabilizing the head manually during this maneuver ensures that any potential spinal injuries are preserved, thus preventing further complications. This approach is critical in pediatric emergencies, especially after trauma, where the risk of airway obstruction is heightened, and the consequences of poor airway management can be severe.

Other methods mentioned, such as head tilting or inserting a nasopharyngeal airway, could introduce unnecessary risks to a child who may have an undiagnosed spinal injury. Hence, the jaw-thrust maneuver combined with manual stabilization is the safest and most effective choice in this scenario.