Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving procedure performed when a child’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped, often due to drowning, suffocation, choking, or injury. Knowing the correct techniques for high-quality child CPR can significantly improve outcomes during these emergencies. Permanent brain damage or death can occur quickly if blood flow stops, underscoring the urgency of immediate and effective intervention.
Defining a Child for CPR
For CPR guidelines, a “child” typically refers to an individual from one year of age up to the onset of puberty. Puberty is generally identified by the presence of underarm or facial hair in boys, or breast development in girls. This age range is distinct because a child’s anatomy and physiology differ from both infants and adults, necessitating specific CPR techniques.
Correct Compression Depth for Children
The recommended compression depth for high-quality child CPR is 2 inches (5 cm). An alternative guideline suggests compressing the chest at least one-third of its anterior-posterior diameter. This depth effectively circulates blood from the heart to the brain and other vital organs.
Essential Elements of High-Quality Child CPR
Beyond depth, several other factors contribute to high-quality child CPR. Hand placement involves placing the heel of one hand in the center of the child’s chest, just below the nipple line. For larger children, or if more force is needed, two hands can be used, similar to adult CPR. Compressions should be delivered at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute, which translates to about two compressions per second.
Allowing the chest to fully recoil after each compression is also important, ensuring the heart can refill with blood before the next compression. Minimizing interruptions is also important, as blood flow stops whenever compressions cease. Continuous, uninterrupted compressions with proper depth, rate, and recoil maximize blood circulation and oxygen delivery.
Distinctions from Infant and Adult CPR
Child CPR guidelines differ from those for infants and adults due to variations in body size and physiology. For infants, defined as individuals under one year of age, the compression depth is typically around 1.5 inches (4 cm) or one-third the chest depth. Hand placement for infants usually involves two fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line, or the two-thumb encircling hands technique for two rescuers.
In contrast, adult CPR requires a compression depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm), up to 2.4 inches (6 cm). Hand placement for adults typically involves using both hands, one on top of the other, with the heel of the bottom hand placed in the center of the chest between the nipples.