Child CPR

Treating Symptoms

You can check steps simultaneously

1. Check consciousness

• Check safety – if needed bring child to safety
• Tap child gently as you ask, “Are you Okay?”
• Check promptly for bleeding or other medical injuries

2. Check breathing

• Check if the child/infant chest rises as you place your ear next to the child mouth – is the child breathing?

3. Begin Chest Compressions

• If unconscious and/or not breathing
• Move child’s body without all together onto the child’s back
• Infant – place 2 fingers on breastbone; Child – heel of 1 hand on center of chest (nipple line)
• Infant compressions – press 1 ½ inches (1/3 – 1/2 depth) – do not press near edge of breastbone
• Child compressions – press 2 inches – do not press on ribs
• Provide compressions at 30:2 and 100-120 per minute
• Allow full recoil of chest
• If person isn’t breathing continue until EMS arrives

4. Provide rescue breathing

• Tilt head back and lift chin up while pressing down on forehead (do not tilt back if head or neck injuries are suspected)
• Infant – place mouth over mouth and nose while giving breaths
• Child – pinch nose and cover mouth with mouth while giving breaths
• Provide 1 breath for 1 second 2 times

5. Repeat process if unconscious or not breathing

Call 911 after 2 minutes of CPR

6. If an AED is available use it

Children ages 9 or younger use a pediatric AED – if unavailable use a standard AED for children older than 1

• Turn power on
• Make sure chest is dry and place pads where instructed
• Follow guide AED instructs
• Continue CPR and follow AED guide until EMS arrives or child starts breathing

Call 911

• Perform 2 minutes of CPR on child/infant who’s unresponsive and not breathing – or only gasping
• If possible have someone else active EMS and locate and automated external defibrillator (AED)
• Becomes unresponsive or unconscious
• Collapses