Child Cpr Can Save A Child's Life

All parents and caregivers of children should familiarize themselves with child Cpr. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a child could make the difference between life and death in an emergency. When the heart stops it deprives the brain of oxygen. It takes approximately 4 minutes of oxygen deprivation to have irreparable brain damage and 4 to 6 minutes for death. With Cpr you have a good chance to get the heart pumping and save a life.

Child Cpr is basically for children from the ages of 1 year old to 8 years old. If you find your self in an emergency situation where a child’s heart has stopped then child Cpr could save their life. If a child is breathing but there is no heartbeat then rescue breathing is done. If the heart is not beating then chest compressions are done.

Some of the common causes when child Cpr is done to resuscitate a child are: chocking, suffocation, strangulation, drowning, electrical shock, poisoning, injuries and infection. There are also times when medical conditions such as heart or brain disease could warrant Cpr where breathing and the heartbeat could be affected.

The best way to remember the steps in child Cpr is to remember A, B, C. A stands for Airway, B stands for Breathing and C stands for circulation. When a child stops breathing, their heart will continue to beat for several minutes. This is why it is important to start working on a child as soon as possible. After the heart stops is when brain damage becomes possibility.

When a child appears unresponsive you want to go into ABC mode immediately. First make sure it is safe to go to the child. You don’t want to go into a scenario that is dangerous for you; or if others are around, for them as well. If it is dangerous you scream for help and call 911 as quickly as you can. Providing it is safe, you go over to the child and tap them on the shoulder and say loudly are you okay. If you are alone do not leave the child yell for someone to call 911. You should begin the child Cpr process. Start Cpr for one minute and if you have a cell phone and you are alone call 911 your self. Stay on the phone until they tell you to hang up. But continue giving Cpruntil a caregiver arrives.

You are now ready to start step A. If you think the child has a spine neck or head injury do not move the child because that could cause paralysis. If the child does not have these visible signs of injury then move the child to a firm flat surface if they are not on one already. The child should be flat on his back. If you have to turn him make sure that you support the head and neck to prevent further if any injury. Keep the body in a straight line. Do not twist it in any way if you have to turn him on his back. If you see no visible injuries at this point open the child’s airway by gently tilting the head back and lifting the chin. Look in the child’s mouth for food or objects and scoop it out with your finger. If there are visible injuries then you place your fingers from both hands on each side of the jaw on the child’s face lifting the jaw upwards to open the airway.

Now is time for step B. Look, listen and feel for breathing while the airway is open. Look at the chest and abdomen to see if it is moving in and out for breathing. Put your cheek near the child’s face to see if you feel any air and Listen near the mouth and nose for breathe sounds. If the child is breathing you put him on his side. This is called the recovery position. This is so he won’t choke if he throws up. If there are signs of head and neck injury do not move him leave him on his back. Keep his jaw open in the thrust position from step A.

If the child is not breathing you must now do so for him. With the airway open and head tilted back pinch the child’s nose with your free hand. The other hand should be on his forehead. If you are using a jaw thrust seal the child’s nose with your cheek. Take a deep breath and put you mouth over the child’s. Give 2 slow breath’s about 11/2 second per breath. Breathe yourself in between breaths. Don’t breathe too hard. Gently but steady. If after this he still is not breathing you go on to step C.

You put one hand’s heel at the nipple line (approximately at the sternum.)Place the other hand on top of it. Correct hands are very important because you can break a child’s rib cage easily. Press about 1 to 11/2 inches deep into the child’s chest. Take pressure off the chest in between compressions. Do 5 compressions and then rest.

You just did child Cpr. You repeat 2 breaths, 5 compressions until help arrives. This run through does not take the place of a real class. It just give you the idea in an emergency how to save a child’s life.

Infant Cpr Cpr Instruction