Every parent and babysitter's worst nightmare is finding a baby unconscious and not breathing. Would you know what to do? Staying calm and taking action could save a life. Learn about infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation--CPR--to be better prepared if an accident happens.
History
In the Bible, God breathed life into Adam's nostrils and midwives gave breaths to newborns. Credit for the discovery of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the 1950s, however, goes to Dr. James Elam and Peter Safar, according to the University of Washington School of Medicine. A trio of doctors, Kouwenhoven, Knickerbocker, and Jude, discovered in early 1960 that chest compressions could circulate blood. Later that year the two techniques joined forces, and saving lives became possible. Infant CPR technique varies slightly from CPR for older children and adults.
Significance
The most common reasons infants up to 12 months of age stop breathing are choking, near-drowning, electric shock, bleeding, poisoning, and suffocation. Rescue breathing provides air to the lungs while chest compressions distribute oxygen to the brain and other tissues. Compression-only CPR is not appropriate for infants, according to the Mayo Clinic. Begin as soon as possible; after four minutes without oxygen brain damage is likely and death occurs only minutes later. Training with a certified instructor is necessary to learn how to practice CPR correctly.
Airway
If a baby doesn't seem to be breathing, try to arouse her by gently tapping on her chest or shoulders. Don't shake a baby. Quickly look, listen, and feel for breath with your cheek close to the baby's nose. To open the airway, tilt an infant's head back by lifting the chin. A baby's airway can be closed by tipping the head back too far. The nose should point slightly up in the "sniffing position." If there is still no breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth ventilation. According to the Mayo Clinic, for an infant who is choking, ventilation may be necessary along with back blows and chest thrusts to dislodge an obstacle.
Breathing
The University of Washington School of Medicine stresses that an infant's chance of survival are better if a lone rescuer performs at least two minutes of CPR before stopping to call 911. Move the infant to a flat surface. Seal your mouth over the baby's mouth and nose. Give a shallow puff of air; too much could damage the lungs. Watch for the infant's chest to rise; if it doesn't, check for airway obstruction, repeat the head tilt, and try again. Allow the air to come out by itself.
Circulation
After two breaths, feel for a pulse inside the upper arm, between the armpit and elbow. Do this for three to five seconds. No pulse indicates the need for compressions. Place two fingers in the center of the chest, one finger below the nipple level. Press down approximately one third the thickness of the chest. Holding the fingers lightly in position, allow the chest to rise. Repeat at a rate of 100 per minute, count aloud, and give two breaths after every 30 compressions. Continue until there are signs of life or until help arrives.
