Child CPR

Note: Much of the procedures listed for child CPR are the same as adult CPR, with changes to the depth of compressions. For more details, see the “Adult CPR” note set.

Precautions

Make sure the scene is safe, and that you have the proper equipment (your gloves and one-way valve rescue mask).

Steps

  1. Check for responsiveness

   

  1. Does the patient respond to you calling them? Do they respond to your taps to the shoulder?
    1. Call emergency services/code

   

  1. Send a bystander to get an AED or call 911 if available
  2. Call 911 yourself if you have a phone
    1. Assess the patient

   

  1. Check for a carotid pulse between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid, for no more than 10 seconds

       1. Do you feel a pulse? Proceed to rescue breathing. 2. Do they not have a pulse? Begin CPR.

  1. Is the patient breathing normally?

       1. Don’t be fooled by agonal breathing!

  1. Begin CPR

   

  1. Compress to 1/3 the depth of the chest
  2. 100-120 BPM
    1. After 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths

   

  1. Watch the patient’s chest. Is it rising and falling when you do this?
    1. Continue compressions. Repeat this process until:

   

  1. Emergency services arrive
  2. An AED arrives
  3. The patient begins to respond normally