If you are managing the AED program for a school, daycare, church, or community center, you know that having pediatric capability is not just recommended—it is often legally required.

When it comes time to replace the pads on your Philips HeartStart FRx, you might find yourself frantically searching online for “Philips FRx pediatric pads” and coming up empty-handed.

There is a very good reason for that: They don’t exist. Here is exactly how pediatric rescue works on the Philips FRx, how it saves your facility money, and what you actually need to buy.

The Secret: One Pad for All Ages

Unlike the standard Philips OnSite AED (which requires you to buy and swap out a specific pediatric cartridge), the Philips HeartStart FRx utilizes a brilliant, cost-saving design.

It uses a single set of pads for both adults and children: the Philips HeartStart FRx SMART Pads II. Whether the sudden cardiac arrest victim is a 50-year-old adult or a 5-year-old child, you will use the exact same set of SMART Pads II. You do not need to unplug anything, swap cartridges, or waste precious seconds figuring out which package to open.

How Does the AED Know It’s a Child?

If you use the same pads, how does the machine know to lower the shock energy for a child under 8 years old or under 55 pounds?

The magic lies in the Philips FRx Infant/Child Key.

This is a small, pink plastic key that slides directly into a slot at the top of your FRx defibrillator. When you insert this key, the AED instantly recognizes that a pediatric rescue is in progress and makes three critical adjustments:

1. Energy Reduction: It safely reduces the defibrillation shock energy from the adult dose (150 Joules) to the pediatric dose (50 Joules).

2. CPR Coaching: The Voice Life Guidance instructions automatically change from adult CPR pacing to infant/child CPR pacing.

3. Pad Placement Guide: The flashing icons on the AED will show the rescuer how to place the pads on a child (one on the center of the chest, one on the center of the back) instead of the standard adult placement.

The Massive Cost Savings for Your Facility

Standard AEDs require you to buy one set of adult pads and one set of pediatric pads. Because AED pads expire every two years, you are constantly paying to replace two different sets of pads, even if they are never used.

With the Philips FRx, you buy the pink Infant/Child Key once. It never expires. From that point on, you only ever have to purchase a single set of SMART Pads II every two years. Over the 10-year lifespan of an AED, this eliminates the cost of buying five sets of pediatric pads, saving your budget hundreds of dollars per machine.

To ensure your FRx is ready for any emergency, adult or pediatric, check your expiration dates today. If your pads have expired, order a fresh set of Philips HeartStart FRx SMART Pads II to keep your facility fully compliant and Rescue Ready.

👉 Buy Philips HeartStart FRx SMART Pads II