Regarding the use of nasopharyngeal airways in children, which statement is correct?

In the context of pediatric emergencies, the use of nasopharyngeal airways in children should be approached with caution, particularly with infants younger than 1 year. While nasopharyngeal airways can be particularly useful in maintaining airway patency and are relatively easy to insert, they are not recommended for infants. This is primarily due to the anatomical considerations of infants; their nasal passages are smaller, softer, and more prone to injury than those of older children.

Additionally, infants may not tolerate nasopharyngeal airways as well, and inserting them could provoke respiratory distress or trauma. Therefore, practitioners tend to avoid employing them in this age group, making the statement about their rarity of use in infants under 1 year accurate.

In contrast, the other statements do not align with established practices: nasopharyngeal airways are not suitable for all age groups due to anatomical differences; they may not always be preferred over oropharyngeal airways depending on the specific clinical situation; and they are not effective in all emergency circumstances, as certain conditions may necessitate different methods of airway management.