CPR: Do you know how to save a life?
Every morning, you and your child go to the local park to play. Your child does not have any major illnesses and has always been in perfect health. But one morning, as your child runs around the swings, you turn away for a moment to pull a snack out of your bag and when you look back to your child, she is on the ground. She is not breathing and she does not have a pulse. Do you know how to help her?
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, although 80 per cent of all cardiac arrests occur in public places, the majority of onlookers do not perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), often because they lack the skills to help. The purpose of CPR is to help deliver oxygen to the heart, brain and other organs until help arrives or your child recovers. The chances of survival drop by 10 per cent for every minute that a person does not receive care after their heart stops.
The leading cause of cardiac arrest in children and teenagers is often a major illness or injury resulting from congenital heart conditions. But even healthy children can go into cardiac arrest at any time, due to accidents such as drowning, suffocation, electrocution, poisoning and severe allergic reactions. Therefore, learning about CPR is important for every parent and caregiver.
November is CPR Month, and a good opportunity to learn what you need to do if a child goes into cardiac arrest.
80 per cent of all cardiac arrests occur in public places
How to perform CPR*
- If your child is unresponsive, call 911 immediately.
- If available, use an AED (automated external defibrillator). An AED is a device that delivers an electric shock to the heart in order to get it started again. AED’s are available in most public areas. Training is available to learn how to correctly use an AED. For those who are not trained or who are not comfortable in performing conventional CPR (chest compressions followed by rescue breaths), chest compressions alone should still be done at a rate of at least 100 per minute.
- Place the heel of your hand over the lower third of your child’s breastbone. Your child’s chest should move approximately two inches (5cm) down. Allow for the chest to fully recoil before pressing down again.
- For those who are comfortable performing rescue breaths, two breaths should be given for every 30 chest compression's.
- This cycle should be repeated until an ambulance arrives or your child begins breathing again
*This list does not replace proper CPR training from a certified instructor.
Resources
It is a good idea for parents and caregivers to be fully trained in CPR in the event an accident occurs. The following is a list of organizations that offer certified courses to learn how to correctly perform CPR:
