DEFINITION

In accordance with current American Heart Association’s guidelines, healthcare providers and laypersons should administer Child CPR to any victims ranging from about 1- to approximately 8 to 10 years of age, or the onset of adolescence as defined by the presence of secondary sex characteristics (i.e. puberty).

ASSESSING THE SITUATION

Before attempting to provide assistance you must first ensure that it’s safe to approach the victim. For example, at a scene of an accident potential hazards can consist of traffic, fire, electric wires, etc. If you suspect that the victim has sustained spinal or neck injury, do not move or shake him.

One of the most important distinctions between adult and child CPR is that in children primary respiratory arrest is more commonly caused by an injury such as poisoning, smoke inhalation, near-drowning, head trauma, etc. rather than cardiac arrest. As such, statistics have shown that a child victim is more likely to respond to, and to benefit from, the immediate administration of CPR.

1 PERSON CPR

• Verify that the victim is unresponsive by gently shaking him and, if age-appropriate, shouting “Are you okay?”
• Begin CPR by providing 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 ventilations, for approximately 2 minutes
• Activate EMS by dialing 9-1-1 (or local emergency response number)
• If AED is available, retrieve it
• Return to the victim and begin CPR (and use the AED as appropriate)

2 PERSON CPR

• Verify that the victim is unresponsive by gently shaking him and, if age-appropriate, shouting “Are you okay?”
• One of the rescuers should immediately begin CPR
• Simultaneously, the second rescuer should activate EMS by dialing 9-1-1 (or local emergency response number) and if AED is available, retrieve it
• Both rescuers should continue to perform CPR (and use AED as appropriate)