How to Perform CPR on a Child

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most widely used emergency technique that has helped save many lives. You can save someone from death by performing CPR on them. Whether the person has had a heart attack, saved from drowning or collapsed after an accident, CPR should be administered to any unresponsive victim. However, if you are a parent or have a job that involves children, it is rather a good idea to know the basics of how to perform CPR on a child. Go through CPR steps covered below and learn performing early CPR on a child.

How to Administer CPR on a Child

The American Heart Association (AHA) says performing early CPR on a child under the age of 8 can help save their life. It is very unlikely for a child to suffer from a heart attack. They may have a heart failure due to various other causes like poisoning, head trauma, drowning, smoke inhalation, etc. Their breathing may stop and one requires to perform the CPR steps on them. If you find a child unresponsive, immediately dial the emergency medical number. By the time help arrives, you can start performing early CPR on a child. You should carry out the CPR steps for about 1 to 2 minutes at least.

The American Heart Association had come up with an easy acronym for people to remember the CPR steps in time. This acronym was ABC, that is, airway, breathing, circulation. I am saying ABC was an acronym as it has been changed by AHA since 2010. The new and easy way to do CPR is CAB. This means, one needs to focus on circulation, airway, breathing. Studies have found that giving fast chest compressions before giving mouth-to-mouth is a better way to save lives. Under the revised guidelines, one needs to give chest compressions immediately. These chest presses should be given 30 times followed by two breaths. This rule is said to be applicable for children and infants. AHA has found compressions help pump blood into the brain and heart sooner than giving mouth-to-mouth, minimizing the damages. Let us have a look at how to perform CPR on a child according to the new way.

New and Easy Way to do CPR

If you find a child unresponsive or unconscious, first check if there is anything blocking his airway. A Heimlich maneuver may help restore breathing to the child. However, if this is not the case, then you need to begin performing early CPR on a child. Remember the acronym is CAB and the new way to do CPR. Let us have a look at the new way to do CPR.

Circulation
Place the child on his/her back on a flat, firm surface. Then, you need to kneel next to the child's neck and shoulder region. Now, place the heel of one of your hand over the center of the child's chest directly between the nipples. Then push straight down for about 2 inches or about a third of the child's chest thickness. Allow the chest to come all the way back up and continue the same step for 30 times. Two pushes per second should be followed.

Airway
You need to clear the airway of the child after performing 30 chest compressions. You need to place your palm on the child's forehead and gently tilt the head back. With the help of your other hand, very gently lift the chin forward and open the airway. Within 5 to 10 seconds, check for normal breathing. Observe if there is chest motion and listen carefully for normal breathing sound. If the child is gasping, it indicates abnormal breathing. If this is the case, you need to give the child mouth-to-mouth breathing. Children, as mentioned earlier, rarely suffer from heart attack, thus, you can continue giving a mouth-to-mouth. You should avoid mouth-to-mouth, in case, heart attack is suspected.

Breathing
Mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose breathing is called rescue breathing. You should only give a rescue breathing, if there is no injury to the mouth or nose and the mouth can be easily opened. Now, after you have carried out a head tilt, chin lift maneuver, the airway will be open. Pinch the nostrils of the child to keep them closed for a mouth-to-mouth breathing. Cover the victim's mouth with your mouth and make a seal. Gently blow 2 breaths in the child's mouth and observe if the chest rises. Allow the air to escape by observing the chest going down. Now, give the child one more breath. If there is no chest movement, then you need to adjust the head and blow again. If it does not help, avoid this step and continue with chest compressions.

When performing early CPR on a child, you need to give the victim 5 cycles of compressions and breath. This generally takes about 2 minutes. Then, call the emergency number and call for an ambulance. If you do not get any response after 5 cycles of CPR steps, continue with the chest compressions. If you have an unresponsive infant in your hands, then use just one hand for performing CPR chest compressions.

How to do CPR on a Baby

Along with information on how to perform CPR on a child, it is important to learn how to do CPR on a baby. Lack of oxygen is the main cause for cardiac arrest in babies. Check if an airway obstruction is the cause of choking. If not, then you need to go ahead and perform CPR on a baby. First, stroke the baby (DO NOT SHAKE) and look for response. If the baby is unresponsive, then continue with the CPR steps.

Restoration of Circulation
You should place the baby on its back on a firm, flat surface like the floor or a table. Then, imagine a horizontal line between the nipples and place two fingers of one hand, just below this imaginary line. It will be somewhere near the center of the chest. Then, with the help of the two fingers, give the baby gentle compress at about 1.5 inches deep. You need to pump at the rate of 100 compressions a minute. Thus, counting aloud is the best way to keep a track of the compressions.

Clearing the Airway
After you give the baby 30 compressions, you need to tip the head back gently. Lift the chin with one hand and push the baby's forehead down with the other hand. Within 10 seconds place your ear near the mouth and listen for breathing sounds. Observe if there is chest motion and listen if the breathing sounds normal.

Breathing Maneuver for Infant
If you have to, cover the mouth of the baby along with the nose with your mouth. Then deliver two gentle puffs of air into the mouth of the baby. Do not deep breath as the lungs are very tiny in a baby. Take one second to blow in the second puff. Observe chest motion. If the chest does not rise, you should give a second rescue breath. If there is still no motion, you should adjust the baby's head and try again. If nothing helps, check for obstruction in the mouth. Place your finger in the baby's mouth and try to sweep out the foreign object. Then, give two breath for every 30 chest compressions. Perform the CPR steps for at least 2 minutes.

This is all about how to perform CPR on a child. If you are looking for information related to the old way, you can refer to the Buzzle article on performing CPR for help. It is very important to know how to administer CPR on a child as it will help save a precious life, till help arrives. You should undertake a first aid course that teaches CPR to become a trained personnel for performing rescue maneuvers.