If the casualty is an infant (0-1 year old) or child (1 year of age-puberty), do the following:
- Check unresponsiveness – Infant: Tap the soles of the feet and shout, “Are you OK?”. Child: Tap the shoulder and shout, “Are you OK?”
- Shout, “Help” – If there is no response from infant or child.
- Position casualty – Turn casualty on back as a unit, supporting, the head and neck. Place casualty on a firm surface.
- Child CPR is done almost the same way as adult CPR except:
- Use either one or two hands to compress the chest depending upon the strength and comfort of the rescuer.
- Compress the chest 2 inches deep.
- When breathing for the child use just enough air to create chest rise, which is often less than needed for the adult.
- Open airway (Head-tilt/Chin-lift or jaw thrust) Place your hand on the casualty’s forehead. Place the fingers of your other hand under the bony part of the chin. Avoid putting pressure under the chin, it may cause an obstruction of the airway. Tilt the head and lift the jaw, avoid closing the casualty’s mouth. Infant: Do not overextend the head and neck. The infant’s mouth should be facing straight up toward the sky. Place your ear over the casualty’s mouth and nose. Look at the chest, listen, and feel for breathing, 5-10 seconds.
- Check pulse – While maintaining an open airway, locate the carotid pulse (Infants: Locate the brachial pulse (Fig. 2-13) on the inside of the upper arm, between the elbow and shoulder). Feel for a pulse for 5 to 10 seconds. Quickly examine the casualty for signs of bleeding.
- Request medical assistance – If someone responded to your call for help, send them to call the local emergency number or medical personnel.
Chest compressions (infant)
- Face infant’s chest.
- Place your middle and index fingers on the breastbone at the nipple line.
- Give 30 compressions, each should compress the chest 1 1/2 inches at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. After each 5th compression, deliver 1 breath. Compressions should be smooth, rhythmic, and uninterrupted.
Give breaths – Open your mouth, take a breath, and make an air-tight seal around the casualty’s mouth and nose. Give 2 breaths (puffs for infants), each lasting 1 to 1 1/2 seconds. Pause between each breath. Look for the chest to rise.Continue for 5 CYCLES or approximately 2 minutes. Check for breathing. If still not breathing, continue CPR.
The following media explains about the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Child or Infant:
Chest compressions (children)
- Face child’s chest.
- Place the heel of one hand on the breast bone at the nipple line. Either use one hand or two, as in adult CPR, depending upon the size of the child and the strength of the rescuer.
- Keep your fingers off the child’s chest.
- Position your shoulder over your hand(s), with elbow(s) locked and your arm straight.
- Give 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths for approximately 2 minutes. Compressions should be smooth, rhythmic, and uninterrupted. Then check for breathing.
Continue CPR – If the infant or child is not breathing continue CPR. Check for breathing every 2 minutes. If the infant or child begins to breathe, maintain an open airway, until medical assistance arrives. Continue CPR until successful, you are exhausted, you are relieved by another trained in CPR or medical personnel, or the infant or child is pronounced dead. This course is not a substitute for formal training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The sequence of interventions is based, whenever possible, on sound scientific information. But there is a paucity of convincing human data on some aspects of resuscitation. Until such time as new information becomes available, the working group made no changes to well established procedures but suggested some modifications on educational rather than scientific grounds.
