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Positioning pediatric AED pads correctly is crucial for the effective delivery of a shock when treating a child in cardiac arrest. The correct placement, on the child's chest and on the child's back, creates a pathway for the electrical current to travel through the body, maximizing the chances of successful defibrillation.

This method is particularly important in smaller patients where the front-to-back placement helps ensure that the electrical charge can bridge across the heart, rather than being dispersed or reduced due to a greater distance or improper alignment. Utilizing both the chest and back assists in overcoming the body’s resistance to electrical flow and helps ensure that the shock is concentrated in the area of the heart that requires it the most.

In the other options, the placements either do not create an effective pathway for delivering the shock to the heart or are entirely inappropriate for shock delivery. For example, placing pads on the abdomen and upper thigh does not target the heart effectively. Similarly, locations such as the neck and shoulder or the chest and left arm also fail to support the goal of providing a direct and efficient shock to restore a normal heart rhythm.