If you are someone who has recently started working a job at a school, daycare, or another type of business that involves caring for children, then it is in your best interest to learn how to provide CPR in the case of an emergency. If you already trained in adult CPR, then you should know that there are some differences when it comes to performing the life-saving technique on a child. Keep reading to learn about a few of these differences. 

Compressions Are Not As Strong

Children have chests that are much more shallow than adults. Also, the bones of a child are a bit more pliable as they contain more cartilage than adult bones. This means that far less pressure is needed to compress the chest to move blood throughout the body. So, depending on the age of the child, you should be using only one hand to complete compressions as this will help you to control the amount of force you place on the heart. And, this is important when it comes to preventing injuries like soft tissue damage to the heart itself.

When you are completing the less forceful contractions, the depth should also be adjusted to about one to one and a half inches instead of the two inches you need for an adult. 

While the compressions are not nearly as strong, you will still need to retain the same sort of speed that you would if you were performing CPR on an adult. You want to compress at a rate of about 100 to 120 compressions each minute. Compression speed is quicker than most people realize, and this is one reason why you often want to hum a song in your head to keep your beat. Check out a CPR song list to find a tune that you can keep rhythm to. 

CPR Is Started Immediately

When it comes to adults who are going through cardiac arrest, you are advised to contact 911 immediately. This is important so that trained professionals can provide assistance in the way of shock treatments and medications that are more likely to save a life than just CPR alone. However, when it comes to children, you want to start CPR immediately before you contact 911. Children are much more likely to respond positively to CPR, even by a relatively untrained individual due to their relative resiliency.

Once you start CPR, you want to complete compressions for about two minutes before calling 911. If possible, finding someone quickly who can do so for you is a good idea. And, make sure to keep the emergency professionals on the line if possible since they can help to ensure that you are retaining the correct CPR compression speed. 

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at an emergency and health training center.

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