Half of parents don’t know CPR for kids, experts warn – here’s how to do it

12/03/2019

Learning how to do CPR could potentially help to save someone’s life.

And if you are a parent, the need to learn these first aid skills is even more crucial.

Despite this, half of mum and dads are clueless about which steps to take if their kids aren’t breathing.

Data from Kidd Caru Day Nurseries Group shows that 50% of parents haven’t learnt how to do CPR.

Following the study, a spokesperson from the British Red Cross urged parents to read-up on first aid techniques.

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If you are lacking knowledge on the subject, here’s how to give CPR.

The NHS’ guide for carrying out cardiopulmonary resuscitation on babies and children:

1. Check the area is safe by looking around for potential hazards

2. Check your child's responsiveness by talking to them and asking questions

3a. If your child responds by answering or moving

If the surrounding area is safe, leave them in the position they were found in
Monitor their condition and reassess it regularly
Call for medical assistance or emergency care if needed

3b. If your child does not respond

Shout for help
Being careful not to hurt the child, turn them on their back

If the child is under one year old:

Keep the head in a neutral position, which is when the head and neck are in line and aren’t tilted

With your fingertips under the point of your child's chin, lift the chin. Be careful not to put pressure on soft tissues under the chin as this may block airways

If the child is over one year old:

Open your child's airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin – this involves gently tilting their head back by pressing on their forehead
With your fingertips under the point of your child's chin, lift the chin. Be careful not to put pressure on soft tissues under the chin as this may block airways
If there’s been an injury to the neck, tilt the head carefully and slowly until the airway is open

4. Check for breathing

While the airway is open, listen for normal breathing by putting your ear near your child’s face. You can also look at their chest for signs of breathing.

Look, listen and feel for no more than 10 seconds before deciding that they're not breathing. Gasping breaths should not be considered to be normal breathing.

5a. If your child is breathing normally

Carefully turn them on their side and check for continued breathing
Call for help – do not leave your child unless absolutely necessary

5b. If your child is not breathing or is breathing infrequently and irregularly

Gently clear any obvious obstruction in the mouth
Give five initial rescue breaths (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) – see below
While doing this, listen out for gag or cough responses as they are signs of life

Rescue breaths for a baby under 1 year

First, move the head to neutral position and gently lift the chin
Take a breath, then cover your baby's mouth and nose with your mouth, making sure it's sealed. If you cannot cover both the mouth and nose at the same time, just seal one with your mouth. If you choose the nose, close the lips to stop air escaping
Steadily blow a breath into the baby's mouth and nose for one second. This should cause the chest to rise
Keeping the head tilted and chin lifted, take your mouth away and watch for the chest to fall as air comes out
Take another breath and repeat this sequence four more times

Rescue breaths for a child over 1 year

Tilt the head and lift the chin
Cover the soft part of their nose using the index finger and thumb of the hand that's on their forehead
Keeping the chin pointing upwards, open their mouth a little
Take a breath, then place your lips around their mouth, making sure it's sealed
Steadily blow a breath into the baby's mouth and nose for one second. This should cause the chest to rise
Keeping their head tilted and chin lifted, take your mouth away and watch for the chest to fall as air comes out
Take another breath and repeat this sequence four more times

5c. Obstructed airway

If you have difficulty achieving effective breathing in your child, the airway may be obstructed.
Carefully open the child's mouth and remove any visible obstruction. Avoid poking your fingers or any object blindly into the mouth
Ensure there's adequate head tilt and chin lift, but the neck is not overextended
Make up to five attempts to achieve effective breaths (enough to make the chest visibly rise). If this is still unsuccessful, move on to chest compressions combined with rescue breaths

6. Assess the circulation (signs of life)

Signs of life present – if there are definite signs of life – such as movement, coughing or breathing:

Continue rescue breathing until your child begins to breathe normally for themselves
Put your child in the recovery position and call for help
Continue checking for normal breathing and provide further rescue breaths is required

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7. No signs of life present – start chest compressions

Immediately start chest compressions – for an extensive guide on how to do this, visit the NHS website
Combine chest compressions with rescue breaths, providing two breaths after every 30 compressions
Chest compression in babies less than 1 year
Do the compressions on the breastbone with the tips two fingers, not the whole hand or with two hands.
The depth of these compressions is very important. If 4cm cannot be achieved with the tips of two fingers, use the heel of one hand
Chest compression in children over 1 year
Place the heel of 1 hand over the lower third of the breastbone, as described above.
Lift the fingers to ensure pressure is not applied over the ribs.
In these instances, the depth of compressions should be 5cm

If your shouts for help haven’t attracted anyone’s attention, continue resuscitation for one minute before dialling 999.

8. Continue resuscitation until

You see signs of life
Qualified help arrives
You become exhausted

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