Do you know CPR for your young child or infant? Should you take a course in order to master these skills? 

 

Perhaps, you’ve always wanted to invest in a CPR course but just haven’t made it a priority. Maybe you took a CPR class a long time ago and assume you’ll remember the proper techniques. At Children’s Discovery Center, our entire team is trained in CPR for your child’s safety and we can’t emphasize enough the importance of being trained in CPR yourself.

 

Not only is this an essential life skill for parents and guardians, it’s essential for close family members, babysitters and childcare providers as well. Make the decision today to enroll in a CPR course and learn what is needed to assist your infant or child in case of an emergency.

 

While this is no replacement for a certified course, here are the fundamentals of infant and child CPR:

 

1. Check Your Child’s Response 

• Shout or speak loudly to your child by asking, “Are you okay?”
• For infants, flick the bottom of their feet.
• If no response is detected, call 911 and immediately implement the following steps:
• Open the airway by laying your child on their back and tilting their head slightly, lifting their chin.
• Check for breathing by listening carefully for approximately 10 seconds. *Occasional gasps aren’t considered breathing.

 

2. Administer Rescue Breaths

• If the child isn’t breathing, deliver 2 rescue breaths by pinching the child’s nose shut, making a complete seal over their mouth with your mouth and breathing into their mouth twice. *For infants, use your mouth to make a complete seal over both their nose and mouth. 
• Blow in for one second to make the chest clearly rise, then deliver two rescue breaths.
• If your child or infant is unresponsive to the rescue breaths, begin CPR.

3. Begin CPR

• For children, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, then place the heel of the other hand on top of the first hand and lace your fingers together. 
• Deliver 30 quick compressions that are about 2 inches deep. *For infants, use 2 fingers to deliver 30 quick compressions that are about 1.5 inches deep.
• Give 2 rescue breaths as before.
• Continue CPR steps until you see obvious signs of life or another trained professional is available to take over.

 

Again, these CPR fundamentals are good to know, but they cannot replace a comprehensive CPR course where you will have proper training and hands-on practice. Look for the next available CPR class in your community, and be equipped should an unforeseen emergency arise.