The brachial artery is the recommended location to check for a pulse in an infant. The artery runs close enough to the surface of the skin and provides a large enough area for an adult hand to quickly check for the presence or absence of a pulse. In larger children, the femoral artery may be more appropriate. In adults, the carotid artery is the first choice. A pulse in the radial artery may not reflect central artery pulses in some forms of disease and is therefore less useful in emergency situations.