Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Infants
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This is a brief overview of infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. However, this is not meant to be a replacement for formal CPR training. CPR is a lifesaving procedure and can potentially save your child’s life; all parents who take care of children should learn infant and child CPR if they have not already. There are usually opportunities in your community where formal CPR training can be done. See www.americanheart.org to search for classes near you.
CPR is done when someone’s heart or breathing have stopped. This may occur after drowning, suffocating, choking, or other injuries. CPR involves:
· Rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to the lungs
· Chest compressions, which keep blood flowing throughout the body
Causes
There are many reasons that an infant’s heartbeat and breathing can stop. Some of these include:
· Choking
· Drowning
· Electrical shock
· Excessive bleeding
· Head trauma or serious injury
· Lung disease
· Poisoning
· Suffocation
CPR is done when someone’s heart or breathing have stopped. This may occur after drowning, suffocating, choking, or other injuries. CPR involves:
· Rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to the lungs
· Chest compressions, which keep blood flowing throughout the body
Causes
There are many reasons that an infant’s heartbeat and breathing can stop. Some of these include:
· Choking
· Drowning
· Electrical shock
· Excessive bleeding
· Head trauma or serious injury
· Lung disease
· Poisoning
· Suffocation
Steps for CPR
The following CPR steps are based on the American Heart Association.
1. Check for alertness. Shake or tap the infant gently. See if the infant moves or makes noise. Shout, “Are you okay?
2. If there is no response, shout for help. Tell someone to call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not leave your infant yourself to call 911 until you have done CPR for about 2 minutes.
3. Carefully place the infant on their back. If there is a chance that the infant has a spinal injury, two people should carefully move the infant to prevent the head and neck from twisting.
4. Perform chest compressions:
6. Look, listen, and feel for breathing. Place your ear close to the infant’s mouth and nose. Watch for chest movement. Fell for breath on your cheek.
7. If the infant is not breathing:
· Cover the infant's mouth and nose tightly with your mouth.
· Or, cover just the nose. Hold the mouth shut.
· Keep the chin lifted and head tilted.
· Give 2 rescue breaths. Each breath should take about a second and make the chest rise.
8. Continue CPR (30 chest compressions followed by 2 breaths, then repeat) for about 2 minutes.
9. After about 2 minutes of CPR, if the infant still does not have normal breathing, coughing, or any movement, leave the infant if you are alone and call 911.
10. Repeat rescue breathing and chest compressions until the infant recovers or help arrives.
Keep rechecking for breathing until help arrives.
1. Check for alertness. Shake or tap the infant gently. See if the infant moves or makes noise. Shout, “Are you okay?
2. If there is no response, shout for help. Tell someone to call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not leave your infant yourself to call 911 until you have done CPR for about 2 minutes.
3. Carefully place the infant on their back. If there is a chance that the infant has a spinal injury, two people should carefully move the infant to prevent the head and neck from twisting.
4. Perform chest compressions:
- Place 2 fingers on the breastbone -- just below the nipples. Make sure not to press at the very end of the breastbone.
- Keep your other hand on the infant's forehead, keeping the head tilted back.
- Press down on the infant's chest so that it compresses about 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the chest.
- Give 30 chest compressions. Each time, let the chest rise completely. These compressions should be FAST and hard with no pausing. Count the 30 compressions quickly: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30, off.
6. Look, listen, and feel for breathing. Place your ear close to the infant’s mouth and nose. Watch for chest movement. Fell for breath on your cheek.
7. If the infant is not breathing:
· Cover the infant's mouth and nose tightly with your mouth.
· Or, cover just the nose. Hold the mouth shut.
· Keep the chin lifted and head tilted.
· Give 2 rescue breaths. Each breath should take about a second and make the chest rise.
8. Continue CPR (30 chest compressions followed by 2 breaths, then repeat) for about 2 minutes.
9. After about 2 minutes of CPR, if the infant still does not have normal breathing, coughing, or any movement, leave the infant if you are alone and call 911.
10. Repeat rescue breathing and chest compressions until the infant recovers or help arrives.
Keep rechecking for breathing until help arrives.
CPR Diagram
Things to NOT do:
· Do NOT lift the infant’s chin while tilting the head back if you suspect that they baby may have a neck injury. If you suspect a neck injury, pull the jaw forward without moving the head or neck. Do NOT let the mouth close.
· If the infant has normal breathing, coughing, or movement, do not begin chest compressions. Doing so may cause the heart to stop beating.
· Do NOT lift the infant’s chin while tilting the head back if you suspect that they baby may have a neck injury. If you suspect a neck injury, pull the jaw forward without moving the head or neck. Do NOT let the mouth close.
· If the infant has normal breathing, coughing, or movement, do not begin chest compressions. Doing so may cause the heart to stop beating.
Prevention, prevention, prevention!
Most children end up needing CPR due to a preventable accident. Preventing an accident is the most important way to ensure that your child will have the best chance of being safe. The following tips may help you to prevent some accidents in children: · Never underestimate what an infant can do. Assume the baby can move more than you think. · Never leave an infant unattended on the bed, table, or other surface from which the infant could roll off. · Always use safety straps on high chairs and strollers. Never leave an infant in a mesh playpen with one side down. Follow the guidelines for using infant car seats. · Teach your baby the meaning of “don’t touch.” The earliest safety lesson is, “No.” · Choose age-appropriate toys. Do not give infants toys that are heavy or fragile. Inspect toys for small or loose parts, sharp edges, points, loose batteries, and other hazards. · Create a safe environment. Watch children carefully, particularly around water and near furniture. · Keep toxic chemicals and cleaning solutions safely stored in childproof cabinets. · To reduce the risk of choking accidents, make sure infants and small children cannot reach buttons, batteries, popcorn, coins, grapes or nuts. · Sit with an infant while he or she eats. Do not allow an infant to crawl around while eating or drinking from a bottle. · Never tie pacifiers, jewelry, chains, bracelets, or anything else around an infant’s neck or wrists. The following is a quiz to go through what you learned on this page!
References:
http://www.eclipsecpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/infant-cpr.jpg http://www.wc-grp.com/images/InfantCPR.jpg http://www.artlies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Swimming-Pool.jpg http://heyletsmakestuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/DSC_2422_blog_ready.jpg http://checkonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/choking-hazards.jpg http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000011.htm http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/quizshow.php?title=american-red-cross-cprinfant-component&q=1 |