CPR Instructions for Children

 The first thing to remember in Child CPR is that cardiac arrest is rarely cause by heart failure, it is most likely caused by poisoning, smoke inhalation or head trauma, which causes the breathing to stop first. Statistics show that children respond much better to CPR if it is administered as soon as possible.

If the child becomes unresponsive, begin rescue efforts immediately and begin CPR for atleast 1-2 minutes before calling 911. Before you call an ambulance, immediately check the child for responsiveness by gently shaking the child and asking if he/she is okay by using a loud voice. DO NOT shake the child if you think he/she may have suffered a spinal injury.

If the child is unconscious the next important thing to remember is your A-B-C:

AIRWAY- sometimes a child's breathing can be very faint, so you should always look, listen and feel for any signs of breathing. If there are no signs of breathing, you should make sure that child's tongue is not obstructing the airway, preventing him/her from breathing. Using extra caution, gently lift the chin to open the air passage. If the child is still not breathing, the next step is to assist him/her in breathing, which is what the letter B stands for:

BREATHING- Pinch the child's nose with your fingertips or cover his/her mouth AND nose with your mouth using a tight seal and give 2 breaths. When ventilating a child, be sure to use shallow breaths and keep an eye on the child's chest to prevent stomach distention (bloating). If this happens and the child vomits, turn the child's head to the side and remove all obstructions out of the mouth before proceeding. If you've given the child 2 breaths and he/she is still unresponsive (no breathing, coughing or moving), check the childs circulation, which is what the letter C stands for:

CIRCULATION- check the child's pulse by placing 2 fingertips and applying slight pressure on the child's carotid artery for 5-10 seconds. The carotid artery is the area just below the jaw line on the neck. If you do not feel a pulse, then the child's heart is not beating and you will need to perform chest compressions.

COMPRESSIONS- when you are performing chest compressions on a child, proper hand placement is very crucial. Place 2 fingers at the bottom of the rib cage where the lower ribs meet and put the heel of the other hand directly on top of your fingers. A child's small and fragile body requires little pressure when performing compressions. A great rule to remember is 1 hand, 1 inch. If you feel or hear a slight cracking sound, you might be pressing too hard. As you continue, apply less pressure.

Count aloud as you press 5 times, followed by 1 breath. Perform this step 20 times- 5 chest compressions followed by 1 breath.  Keep checking the child's carotid artery for pulse and/or any signs of consciousness. DO NOT FORGET TO CALL 9-1-1.

If there is no pulse, perform the cycle of 5 compressions & 1 breath 20 times and check for pulse and breathing. If the child is still not breathing and there is no pulse, continue performing CPR until help arrives. If the child regains a heartbeat or you detect a pulse but is still not breathing, administer rescue breaths: 1 breath every 3 seconds and remember to pinch the child's nose to prevent air from escaping. After the first rescue breath, count 3 seconds and if the child still doesn't take a breath on his own, give another rescue breath.