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Be Prepared with CPR
Author: Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Look at your newborn. You hold them gently, you love them more than you even thought possible, and you would do anything to protect them.
Perhaps you've thought of it all - the house is baby proofed, you have a First Aid kit in place, and you have a plan in place in the event of an emergency.
Have you taken an infant/child CPR class?
Even though the thought of something happening to your child may strike fear into your heart and mind, unfortunately, it does happen. Whatever the situation, infants, just as adults, are more likely to survive a life-threatening incident if CPR is immediately performed. Such accidents that may involve an infant needing CPR include choking, electrical shock, poisoning, suffocation, or drowning.
What is CPR?
CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. CPR is used to provide oxygen to your infant's lungs (through rescue breathing) and to keep blood circulating through an infant's body (chest compressions).
Unfortunately, brain damage can occur within minutes of a child stopping breathing and death within minutes after that.
The basics of CPR include:
- Checking for responsiveness in your baby: tap and talk to your baby to see if they respond to touch or sound
- Calling for help (911)
- Opening the airway of your infant through positioning their head
- Looking and listening for the sound of breathing
- Providing rescue breaths (2) in the event your baby is not breathing
- Performing chest compressions
- Repeating rescue breaths and chest compressions until medical assistance arrives
Adults can easily learn the procedure. The best way to acquire the skills you will need in the event of an emergency requiring you to perform CPR is to take a course.
Courses may be offered through your local hospital or through a local American Red Cross chapter (www.redcross.org). You may also consider organizing a class within your home or community. Such events are the perfect time to ensure that family and friends are prepared.
Some courses may charge a minimal fee.
However, the investment in keeping your child safe and being prepared in case of an emergency is certainly worth it.
Learn CPR, it really is as easy as ABC.
