First Aid

Child CPR, AED and choking

st. In this case, perform the Heimlich maneuver with your fist on the breastbone.

Any child who has had a severe choking event should see a doctor.

If the child stops responding, lay them down and yell for help. Check for breathing and begin CPR. After 30 compressions, open the airway and look for a foreign object. If visible, remove it and attempt to give a breath. Continue CPR until the child recovers or more advanced help arrives.

Figure 19

COMPRESSIONS

Rescuers may be afraid to perform chest compressions out of fear of hurting the child. It is important to remember that without CPR, the result will be death.

To do CPR on a child, do the following:Position the child on their back on a firm, hard surface.Move any clothing away from the chest.Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the breastbone (Figure 19).Push straight down approximately at least one third the depth of the chest. In most children this will be about two inches (5 cm). Compressions should be delivered at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute.Let the chest recoil to its normal position after every compression.

Either one-handed or two-handed compressions can be used in child CPR. (Figures 19a & 19b)Performing CPR can be tiring. If someone is available to help, change roles every two minutes and work to minimize the pause in between compressions.

GIVING BREATHS

Unresponsiveness in children is often caused by breathing problems, not heart problems. Prevention of choking or severe breathing problems due to untreated illness is the most effective treatment. Giving breaths during CPR can help the child. Severe breathing problems from a respiratory illness can cause cardiac arrest in children. Most children who need CPR have had a breathing problem that caused the heart to beat irregularly or to stop beating altogether.

Signs of ineffective breathing include slow breathing, very shallow or sporadic breathing, and absence of any breaths altogether. Give rescue breaths to children who appear to be struggling to breathe. A good breath will cause the child's chest to rise.

To open the person's airway, do the following:Put one hand on their forehead (Figure 20a).Place your fingers on the bony part of their chin (Figure 20b).Gently tilt the head back while lifting the chin (Figure 20c).Now you are ready to give breaths.
Do the following:Hold the child's airway open as described above and pinch their nose shut (Figure 20d).Take a deep breath and seal your mouth around the child's mouth (Figure 20e).Blow into their mouth for one second and watch their chest rise.Repeat with a second breath.