Infant and child CPR

Infant and child CPR

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

This step-by-step guide explains the basics of first aid for choking and CPR, but please don’t rely on it as your sole source of information.

Useful link

http://www.laerdal.com.au/doc/40923308/Infant-CPR.html

The following instructions are for babies younger than 12 months old

Choking

Step 1: Assess the situation quickly

If your baby is suddenly unable to cry or cough, something may be blocking his or her airway, and you’ll need to help the baby get it out. The baby may make odd noises or no sound at all while opening his or her mouth and his or her skin may turn bright red or blue.

If the baby is coughing or gagging, his or her airway is only partially blocked. In this case, let the baby continue to cough. Coughing is the most effective way to dislodge a blockage.

If your baby isn’t able to cough up the object, ask someone to call 000 while you begin back blows and chest thrusts (see step 2, below).

If you’re alone with your baby, give two minutes of care and then call 000.

On the other hand, if you suspect that your baby’s airway is closed off because his or her throat has swollen shut, call 000 immediately. Your baby may be having

  • An allergic reaction to
    • Something he or she ate
    • An insect bite
  • An infection, like croup

Also call right away if your baby is at high risk for heart problems.

Step 2: Try to dislodge the object with back blows and chest thrusts

If your baby can’t clear his or her airway on their own and you believe something is trapped there, carefully position the baby face-down on your forearm with your hand supporting the head and neck. Rest the arm holding your baby on your thigh.

Support your baby so that the head is lower than the rest of the body, then using the heel of your hand give your baby five firm and distinct back blows between his or her shoulder blades to try to dislodge the object.

Next, place your free hand (the one that had been delivering the back blows) on the back of your baby’s head with your arm along his or her spine. Carefully turn the baby over while supporting the head and neck. Support your baby face-up with your forearm resting on your thigh, still keeping the head lower than the rest of the body. Place the pads of two or three fingers just below an imaginary line running between your baby’s nipples. To give a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest 0.5 – 1 inch, then allow the chest to come back to its normal position. Give five chest thrusts. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Continue the sequence of five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is forced out or your baby starts to cough. If the baby is coughing, let him or her try to cough up the object.

If your baby becomes unconscious at any time, he or she’ll need modified CPR (see below).

Give the baby two rescue breaths. If the air doesn’t go in (you don’t see his or her chest rise), re-tilt the baby’s head and try two rescue breaths again.

If the chest still doesn’t rise, give the baby 30 chest compressions. Look in his or her mouth and remove the object if you see it. Give the baby two more rescue breaths; repeat the chest compressions, and so on, until help arrives.

How to Give CPR

CPR stands for “cardiopulmonary resuscitation”. This is the lifesaving measure you can take to save your baby if he or she shows no signs of life (breathing or movement).

CPR uses chest compressions and rescue breaths to circulate blood that contains oxygen to the brain and other vital organs until emergency medical personnel arrive. Keeping oxygenated blood circulating can help prevent brain damage (which can occur within a few minutes) and death.

Giving CPR isn’t hard to do. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Check your baby’s condition

Is your baby conscious? Flick the baby’s foot or gently tap on his or her shoulder and call out. If the baby doesn’t respond, have someone call 000. If you’re alone with your baby, give two minutes of care as described below, and then call 000.

Swiftly but gently place your baby on his or her back on a firm surface.

Make sure the baby isn’t bleeding severely. If he or she is, take measures to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the area. Do not administer CPR until the bleeding is under control.

Step 2: Open your baby’s airway

Tilt your baby’s head back with one hand and lift his or her chin slightly with the other. (You don’t need to tilt an infant’s head back very far to open her airway.)

Check for signs of life (movement and breathing) for no more than ten seconds.

To check for your baby’s breath, put your head down next to his or her mouth, looking toward the feet. Look to see whether the baby’s chest is rising and listen for breathing sounds. If the baby is breathing, you should be able to feel the breath on your cheek.

Step 3: Give your baby two gentle breaths

If your baby isn’t breathing, give him or her two little breaths, each lasting just one second. Cover your baby’s nose and mouth with your mouth and gently exhale into his or her lungs only until you see the chest rise.

Remember that a baby’s lungs are much smaller than yours, so it takes much less than a full breath to fill them. Breathing too hard or too fast can force air into the infant’s stomach or damage the lungs.

If the baby’s chest doesn’t rise, his or her airway is blocked. Give the first aid for choking, as above.

If the breaths go in, give your baby two breaths in a row, pausing between rescue breaths to let the air flow back out.

Step 4: Give your baby 30 chest compressions

With your baby still lying on the back, place the pads of two or three fingers just below an imaginary line running between your baby’s nipples.

With the pads of these fingers on that spot, compress the chest 0.5 – 1 inch. Push straight down. Compressions should be smooth, not jerky.

Give the baby 30 chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute. When you complete 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths (step 3, above).

Step 5: Repeat compressions and breaths

Repeat the cycle of 30 compressions and two breaths. If you’re alone with your baby, call 000. Continue the cycle of compressions and breaths until help arrives.

Even if your baby seems fine by the time help arrives, you’ll want to have him or her checked by a doctor to make sure that the airway is completely clear and that he or she hasn’t sustained any internal injuries

The following Instructions are for children age 1 and older

Choking

Step 1: Assess the situation quickly

As above

Step 2: Try to dislodge the object with back blows and abdominal thrusts

If your child is conscious but can’t cough, talk, or breathe or beginning to turn blue, stand or kneel behind him or her. Provide support by placing one arm diagonally across her chest and lean the child forward.

Firmly strike your child between the shoulder blades with the heel of your other hand. Give five of these back blows.

Then wrap your arms around your child’s waist. Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side against the middle of your child’s abdomen, just above the navel and well below the lower tip of the breastbone.

Grab your fist with your other hand and give five quick thrusts into the abdomen. Each back blow and abdominal thrust should be a separate and distinct attempt to dislodge the obstruction.

Continue alternating five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the object is dislodged; your child can breathe or cough forcefully, or becomes unconscious.

If your child becomes unconscious, he or she’ll need modified CPR

Place your child on her back. Place the heel of one hand on her sternum (breastbone) at the centre of the chest. Place your other hand directly on top of the first hand. Try to keep your fingers off the chest by interlacing them or holding them upward.

Give 30 compressions by pushing your child’s sternum down a third to half the depth of the chest. Allow the sternum to return to its normal position before starting the next compression.

Open your child’s mouth and look for an object. If you see something, remove it with your fingers.

Next, give the child two rescue breaths. If the breaths don’t go in (you don’t see the chest rise), repeat the cycle of giving 30 compressions, checking for the object, and trying to give two rescue breaths until the object is removed, your child starts to breathe, or emergency medical personnel arrive and take over.

How to Give CPR

Giving CPR isn’t hard to do. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Check your child’s condition

Gently tap on your child’s shoulder and call out. If no respond, have someone call 000. If you’re alone with your child, give two minutes of care then call 000.

Swiftly but gently place your child on his or her back on a firm surface.

Make sure he or she isn’t bleeding severely. If so, take measures to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the area. Don’t administer CPR until the bleeding is under control.

Step 2: Open your child’s airway

Tilt your child’s head back with one hand and lift the chin slightly with the other. This will open her airway.

Check for signs of life (movement and breathing) for no more than ten seconds.

To check for breathing, put your head down close to your child’s mouth, facing the feet. Look to see whether the chest is rising, and listen for breathing sounds. If the child is breathing, you should be able to feel his or her breath on your cheek.

Step 3: Give your child two gentle breaths

If your child isn’t breathing, give two breaths, each lasting just one second. Pinch your child’s nose shut, place your mouth over his or hers, and exhale into the child’s lungs until you see the chest rise.

If the chest doesn’t rise, the child’s airway is blocked. Give the first aid for choking, as above.

If the breaths go in, give your child two breaths in a row, pausing between rescue breaths to let the air flow back out.

Step 4: Give your child 30 chest compressions

Place the heel of one of your hands on your child’s sternum (breastbone) at the centre of the chest. Place your other hand directly on top of the first hand. Try to keep your fingers off the chest by interlacing them or holding them upward.

To give a chest compression, push your child’s sternum down a third to half the depth of the chest. Allow the sternum to return to its normal position before starting the next compression.

Give your child 30 chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute. Then give two rescue breaths (step 3, above).

Step 5: Repeat compressions and breaths

Repeat the sequence of 30 chest compressions and two breaths. If you’re alone with your child, call 000 after you’ve given care for two minutes. Continue the cycle of chest compressions and rescue breaths until you find signs of life or help arrives.

Even if your child seems just fine by the time help arrives, you’ll want to have him or her checked by a doctor to make sure that the airway is completely clear and that he or she hasn’t sustained any internal injuries.

Your queries are best answered over the phone, our friendly reception staff would be happy to assist you with your enquiry, contact us on +02 8824 4998

Book an Appointment