BREAKING NEWS: Child and Infant CPR Guidelines Changed

By Alpha Mom Editorial Staff and reviewed by Vanessa J. Anton, EMT

American Heart Association (AHA)
announces changes to its guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Infants and Children

Alpha Mom wants to keep you up to the minute on important health issues for you and your children. Below is a synopsis of the major changes to the AHA’s recommendations for how lay rescuers should provide CPR to infants and children.

Official AHA webcast: http://www.eccguidelineswebcast.org/#sc3
For a full explanation to all the 2005 guidelines, please visit: http://www.eccguidelineswebcast.org/

• Most significant change is the ratio of compressions to rescue breaths: For children and infants (excluding newborns) it is now 30 compressions followed by two rescue breaths. (Previously, the recommendation was 5 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.) Lone rescuers do the 30-to-two compression-to-ventilation cycles five times– or for 2 minutes– before calling 911.
• The new guidelines highlight the importance of effective chest compressions to successful resuscitation. As such, the protocol places an emphasis on: push hard, push fast, allow full chest recoil, minimize interruptions and don’t over ventilate.
• After giving two rescue breaths, lay rescuers no longer check for signs of circulation before beginning chest compressions.
• For children, lay rescuers may now use one or two hands for chest compressions over the lower half of the breast-bone. The recommended pressure is one-third or one-half depth of chest. (Previously, the recommendation was for one hand over the lower half of the sternum.)
• For infants, use two fingers pressing on the breast bone, just below the nipple line.