How To Perform Chest Compressions To A Child

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique that can be particularly effective when administered correctly to a child in cardiac arrest. High-quality chest compressions are a critical component of child CPR and can significantly improve the chances of survival. In this blog post, we will guide you through the steps to perform high-quality chest compressions when providing CPR to a child victim.

Assess the Situation

1. Ensure Safety: Before approaching the child, make sure the environment is safe for both you and the victim. Check for any potential hazards.
2. Check Responsiveness: Gently tap or shake the child and shout, "Are you okay?" to determine if the child is responsive. If there is no response, or if the child is unresponsive and not breathing normally, immediately proceed with CPR.

Call for Help

If there is another person nearby, instruct them to call emergency services (911 or your local emergency number) and bring an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) if available. If you are alone, perform CPR for about two minutes (five cycles) before calling for help if the child's condition has not improved.

Begin Chest Compressions

1. Positioning: Place the child on their back on a firm, flat surface. Ensure the child is lying in a suitable position for chest compressions.
2. Hand Placement: For child CPR, use the heel of one hand for chest compressions. Position your hand on the center of the child's chest, just below the nipple line.
3. Compression Depth: Compress the chest to a depth of approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters). It's important to push down firmly but not excessively to avoid causing harm. Use your upper body weight to achieve the recommended depth.
4. Compression Rate: Administer chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. You can maintain this pace by counting "one and two and three and..." while pushing down on the chest.
5. Allow Full Recoil: After each compression, allow the chest to fully recoil (return to its natural position) without lifting your hands off the chest. Complete chest recoil is crucial for effective blood circulation.
6. Minimize Interruptions: Minimize interruptions in chest compressions to maintain a consistent compression rate and depth. Interruptions should be as brief as possible, such as when preparing to deliver rescue breaths (if trained).

Coordinate with Rescue Breaths (if Trained)

If you are trained in child CPR with rescue breaths and there is another trained rescuer, coordinate chest compressions with rescue breaths as follows:

1. Compressions: One rescuer performs chest compressions as described above.
2. Rescue Breaths: The second rescuer delivers rescue breaths after every 30 compressions.
3. Compression-Pause Ratio: Maintain a compression-breath ratio of 30:2, which means 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.

Use an AED (if Available)

If an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) becomes available, follow the device's prompts for use. Ensure the child's chest is dry, attach the AED electrodes as indicated, and follow the AED's voice and visual prompts.

Continue CPR

Continue performing CPR until one of the following conditions is met:

• Professional medical help arrives and takes over.
• The child shows signs of life, such as normal breathing and responsiveness.
• You are too fatigued to continue, in which case another trained rescuer should take over if available.

Remember that high-quality chest compressions are crucial for maintaining blood circulation and oxygenation to the child's vital organs during cardiac arrest. Immediate action, proper technique, and coordination with rescue breaths (if trained) can greatly improve the chances of a positive outcome during child CPR.