How to Perform CPR on an Infant

A stopped heart deprives the brain of precious oxygen. Do CPR - short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation - to help prolong life while you wait for professional medical assistance.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wilderness First Aid Classes
• CPR Breathing Masks
• Notebooks
• Safety Goggles
• First Aid Classes
• Pens
• Latex Gloves
• First Aid Kits

Initial Assessment

1. Determine if the surrounding scene is safe (see "How to Maximize the Safety of an Emergency Scene").
2. Tell someone nearby to call 9-1-1, if not in a wilderness setting.
3. Determine if the injured infant is breathing (see "How to Check Airway, Breathing and Circulation").
4. Position the injured infant on his or her back, being extremely careful not to move or twist the head, neck or spine.
5. Maintain an open airway while sealing your mouth over the infant's mouth and nose.
6. Give two slow breaths.

Secondary Assessment

7. Check again for breathing and pulse (see "How to Check Airway, Breathing and Circulation").
8. Perform rescue breathing if the infant has a pulse, but is not breathing (see "How to Provide Rescue Breathing for an Infant").

CPR

9. Begin CPR if the infant is neither breathing nor has a pulse.
10. Position the fingers: imagine a line connecting the infant's nipples; place your index, middle and ring fingers perpendicular to and just to the foot-ward side of this line.
11. Lift the index finger off the chest, maintaining chest contact with the middle and ring fingers.
12. Push downward on the chest five times in 3 seconds.
13. Give one more slow breath - again, covering both the infant's mouth and nose - after the five compressions, and then do five more compressions, followed again by one slow breath.
14. Perform the five-compression, one-breath cycle a total of 12 times.
15. Re-check pulse and breathing.
16. Continue repeating this entire cycle - 12 sets of chest compressions and breaths followed by re-checking pulse and breathing - until the injured infant regains a pulse, until professional medical help arrives, or until you are too exhausted to continue.

Tips & Warnings

• Use latex gloves and a breathing mask to prevent infection or transmission of disease.
• "Infant," for these purposes, refers to children younger than approximately age 1. (For children older than infants, see "How to Perform CPR on a Child.")
• If breaths do not go in, re-tilt the head and try again. If breaths still do not go in, the airway may be obstructed (see "How to Clear an Obstructed Airway").
• Be careful not to give breaths that are too large, since the infant's lungs are much smaller than yours. Breathe just enough so that the chest rises gently.
• If you suspect a spinal injury (see "How to Rule Out a Spinal Cord Injury"), do not tilt the chin to open the airway. Instead, with one hand on each side of the head and facing the injured infant's toes, put your index and third fingers in front of the earlobes and push the jaw forward and up.
• If this method doesn't open the airway, revert to the chin-tilt method: the injured infant's most drastic need is for oxygen.
• If the infant has a severe injury to the mouth, then give breaths through the nose while keeping the injured infant's mouth sealed shut.
• For an infant, check for pulse on the underside of the arm, between the shoulder and the elbow.
• Switch off with another rescuer to save energy for both of you.
• Be careful not to use too much force in compressing the chest.
• If the injured infant vomits, turn the infant onto his or her side and wipe out the mouth. Return the infant to the supine position and continue rescue breathing.
• This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.