How To Perform Infant CPR

Infant CPR is a procedure that can save an infants life. CPR as you know is Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Infant CPR is designed to save a baby’s life. Infant CPR is done when an infant has stopped breathing or there is no heartbeat. Cases where an infant would stop breathing or loose its heart beat would be drowning, suffocating or choking. Injuries could also result in loss of heartbeat or not breathing.

Infant CPR is a form of rescue breathing that provides oxygen to the infant’s lungs. Chest compressions on the infant helps maintain circulation to keep or start the heart beat. If an infant stops breathing or you cannot feel a heart beat it is best to start infant CPR immediately to prevent brain damage or even death. Lack of circulation can mean death in minutes for an infant. It takes 4 minutes for brain damage to occur from lack of circulation and 4 to 6 minutes for death to occur for the same reason.

The main causes for an infant to loose its heart beat and stop breathing is drowning, suffocation and choking. Other reasons might include excessive bleeding, head trauma, electric shock, poisoning and lung disease.

The primary symptoms warranting infant CPR is when an infant is not breathing; there is no heartbeat and no pulse. As soon as one or all of these symptoms seem to be present in an infant one is to start CPR first for about a minute and call out for help. Do not leave the baby.

Here are Infant CPR steps as recommended by The American Heart Association: 1.Check for responsiveness of the infant. Gently tap or shake the baby, Yell for Help and Shout Loudly “Are You Okay”(the baby might respond to your voice.) 2. If there is no response from the infant, shout for help for 911 but do not leave the infant. Send someone else for help if possible. If there is no one else around give the baby 1 minute of CPR first before calling 911 yourself. 3. Carefully place the infant on its back. If you suspect a spinal chord injury, it takes two people to move the infant without twisting its back. With 2 people make sure not to twist the head or neck. 4. Open the airway and lift the chin with one hand. At the same time push down on the forehead with the other hand. If you suspect a spinal injury do not tilt the head back. Instead place your fingers on each side of the jawbone and lift the jaw forward. This prevents neck and head movement. 5.Place your ear close to the infant’s mouth and nose. Listen and feel for breathing. Feel for breath on your check and watch for chest movement. 6. If the infant is not breathing: cover the infant’s mouth and nose tightly with your mouth or you can cover the nose and hold just the mouth shut. Keep the chin lifted and head tilted. Give 2 breaths, but they must not be large and forceful. 7. After this if there no chest movement, give 2 more breathes. Again if the chest does not move this time check to see if there is something blocking the air and remove it. 8. Check to see if there are any signs of breathing, coughing, or movement at this point. If the infant isn’t breathing yet then you must start chest compressions. 9. How to perform chest compressions on an infant: Place 2 or 3 fingers on the breastbone but make sure you do not press at the end of the breastbone. Your fingers should be just below the nipples. Keep your other hand on the infant’s forehead so the chin is tilted back. Press down on the infant’s chest 1/3 to ½ in depth. Give 5 compressions. They should be rapid say as you do it count a, b, c, d, off. Let the chest rise completely after each one. 10. Now give the infant one full breath slowly. The chest should rise. 11. Continue repetitions of 5 chest compressions and 1 slow breath. 12. After a minute check for signs of circulation. 13. If there are no signs of breathing at this point, carry the infant with you to the phone. Leave the infant and call 911 if you suspect internal or spinal injury and call your self if no one else is able to for you. 14. Continue steps 11 and 12 until help arrives or until the infant can breathe.

Do not do chest compressions if the infant is breathing it can cause heart to stop beating. Do not try and look for a pulse leave that for the professionals. All parents should take a CPR class because it could save their child’s life.

Infant Cpr Cpr Instruction