First aid for choking children and basic CPR
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safety
If your child had an accident, would you know what to do?
Knowing the correct procedures to perform in the case of an accident could mean the difference between life and death for your baby or child. We invited St John Ambulance to supply with this First Aid articles, but the best way for you to ensure you can take care of your family is to arm yourself with all the knowledge. We list First Aid courses for parents Australia-wide - whether you have children or are expecting, find what is local to you and be ready for the unexpected.
Rescue breathing: Baby
This is to be used for an unconscious baby who is not breathing. Always give two initial rescue breaths before beginning chest compressions. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
CPR: Baby
This is a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths used to treat an unconscious baby who is not breathing and not moving. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
Choking: Baby
Babies love to put things in their mouths. This can result in choking. Toys, food, pen caps, and coins may be responsible. Peanuts and hard sweets are especially dangerous for children under five years. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
Choking: Child
The simplest way to assess the severity of any airway obstruction is to check whether a cough is effective or ineffective. The child with an effective cough should be encouraged to keep coughing to expel the foreign material. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
The information above is provided as a reference only. For all emergencies, seek medical advice or call 000 for emergency assistance.
:: toddler & beyond info hub
Knowing the correct procedures to perform in the case of an accident could mean the difference between life and death for your baby or child. We invited St John Ambulance to supply with this First Aid articles, but the best way for you to ensure you can take care of your family is to arm yourself with all the knowledge. We list First Aid courses for parents Australia-wide - whether you have children or are expecting, find what is local to you and be ready for the unexpected.
Rescue breathing: Baby
This is to be used for an unconscious baby who is not breathing. Always give two initial rescue breaths before beginning chest compressions. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
- Make sure your baby is on her back on a firm surface. Check that her airway is open. Lift her chin. Don't press on the soft tissues under the chin as you could block the airway.
- Take a breath, then seal your lips around the baby's mouth and nose. Blow gently until the chest rises.
- Remove your mouth and watch the chest fall back.
- Repeat to give two initial breaths. If you can't achieve a rescue breath recheck the airway, recheck the mouth and nose (remove any visible obstruction), and make sure you have adequate seal around the mouth and nose.
- Check for signs of life. If no signs of life (not breathing, not moving, not responding) after the two initial breaths, begin chest compressions.
CPR: Baby
This is a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths used to treat an unconscious baby who is not breathing and not moving. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
- Place your baby on a firm surface. Place the tips of two fingers on the lower half of the breastbone in the centre of the baby's chest.
- Press sharply down one-third of the depth of the chest. Release the pressure but don't remove your fingers. Allow chest to come back up fully. Repeat to give 30 compressions at a rate of approximately 100 per minute.
- Give your baby two rescue breaths into her mouth and nose.
- Continue giving CPR - 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths - until the ambulance arrives, the baby starts breathing, or you are too exhausted to continue.
Choking: Baby
Babies love to put things in their mouths. This can result in choking. Toys, food, pen caps, and coins may be responsible. Peanuts and hard sweets are especially dangerous for children under five years. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
- Place your baby with head downwards on your forearm while supporting her head and shoulders on your hand. Give up to five sharp blows with the heel of one hand to the back between shoulders.
- Check if obstruction has cleared after each back blow. Turn infant onto back, open her mouth, and remove any loose foreign material with your little finger.
- If blockage has not cleared after five back blows, give chest thrusts. Place your baby on her back on a firm surface, place two fingers in the CPR compression position and give five chest thrusts - slower but sharper than CPR compressions. Check after each chest thrust to see if the airway obstruction has been relieved.
- If the obstruction is not relieved after five chest thrusts, continue alternating five back blows with five chest thrusts until the ambulance arrives.
- If your baby becomes unconscious, commence CPR.
Choking: Child
The simplest way to assess the severity of any airway obstruction is to check whether a cough is effective or ineffective. The child with an effective cough should be encouraged to keep coughing to expel the foreign material. Ensure that an ambulance has been called.
- Encourage the child to cough to remove the obstruction.
- If coughing does not remove the obstruction, give five back blows, bend him well forward and give five sharp blows with the heel of one hand in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades. Check after each back blow to see if the obstruction has been relieved.
- If the obstruction does not clear after back blows, give five chest thrusts. Place one hand in the middle of his back for support and the heel of your other hand in the CPR compression position and give five chest thrusts, slower but sharper than CPR compressions. Check after each chest thrust to see if the obstruction has been relieved.
- If the obstruction is not relieved after five chest thrusts, continue alternating five back blows with five chest thrusts until the ambulance arrives.
- If your child becomes unconscious, commence CPR.
The information above is provided as a reference only. For all emergencies, seek medical advice or call 000 for emergency assistance.
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