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CPR - infant
Alternate Names : Rescue breathing and chest compressions - infant, Resuscitation - cardiopulmonary - infant, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation - infant
First Aid
The following steps are based on instructions from the American Heart Association. - Check for responsiveness. Shake or tap the infant gently. See if the infant moves or makes a noise. Shout, "Are you OK?"
- If there is no response, shout for help. Send someone to call 911. Do not leave the infant yourself to call 911 until you have performed CPR for about 2 minutes.
- Carefully place the infant on their back. If there is a chance the infant has a spinal injury, two people should move the infant to prevent the head and neck from twisting.
- Open the airway. Lift up the chin with one hand. At the same time, tilt the head by pushing down on the forehead with the other hand.
- Look, listen, and feel for breathing. Place your ear close to the infant's mouth and nose. Watch for chest movement. Feel for breath on your cheek.
- If the infant is not breathing:
- Cover the infant's mouth and nose tightly with your mouth.
- Alternatively, cover just the nose. Hold the mouth shut.
- Keep the chin lifted and head tilted.
- Give 2 rescue breaths. Each breath should take about a second and make the chest rise.
- Perform chest compressions:
- Place 2 fingers on the breastbone -- just below the nipples. Make sure not to press at the very end of the breastbone.
- Keep your other hand on the infant's forehead, keeping the head tilted back.
- Press down on the infant's chest so that it compresses about 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the chest.
- Give 30 chest compressions. Each time, let the chest rise completely. These compressions should be FAST and hard with no pausing. Count the 30 compressions quickly: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30, off."
- Give the infant 2 more breaths. The chest should rise.
- Continue CPR (30 chest compressions followed by 2 breaths, then repeat) for about 2 minutes.
- After about 2 minutes of CPR, if the infant still does not have normal breathing, coughing, or any movement, leave the infant if you are alone and call 911.
- Repeat rescue breathing and chest compressions until the infant recovers or help arrives.
If the infant starts breathing again, place him or her in the recovery position. Periodically re-check for breathing until help arrives.
Do Not
- Lift the infant's chin while tilting the head back to move the tongue away from the windpipe. If a spinal injury is suspected, pull the jaw forward without moving the head or neck. Don't let the mouth close.
- If the infant has signs of normal breathing, coughing, or movement, DO NOT begin chest compressions. Doing so may cause the heart to stop beating.
- Unless you are a health professional, DO NOT check for a pulse. Only a health care professional is properly trained to check for a pulse.
Call Immediately for Emergency Medical Assistance if
- If you have help, tell one person to call 911 while another person begins CPR.
- If you are alone, shout loudly for help and begin CPR. After doing CPR for about 2 minutes, if no help has arrived, call 911. You may carry the infant with you to the nearest phone (unless you suspect spinal injury).
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Review Date : 7/8/2009
Reviewed By : Jacob L. Heller, MD, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, Clinic. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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