BLS for Infants and Children Flashcards
Who are considered infants by AHA?
Children less than 1 year of age (excluding newly born)
Who are considered children by AHA?
Children are from 1 year of age to puberty. Signs of puberty include chest or underarm hair on males and any breast development in females
What is the first step in pediatric cardiac arrest?
Verify scene safety
What do you do after you have verified the scene for safety?
Check for responsiveness
How do you check for responsiveness in an infant?
Tap the heel of the infant’s foot
If the victim is nonreponsive what should you do?
Call for help, active the emergency response system
After you have called for help and activated the EMS what should you do?
Assess the infant or child for normal breathing and a pulse, at the same time to minimize delay.
How long should you take to assess for breathing and a pulse?
No more than 10 seconds
How do you check for breathing in a pediatric patient?
Look for rise and fall of the chest
What do you do if the victim IS breathing?
Monitor the victim until additional help arrives
What do you do if the victim is not breathing or is only gasping?
Begin rescue breathing 1 breath every 3-5 seconds, 12-20 breaths per minute.
If the victim is not breathing or is only gasping what is going on?
The victim is in respiratory or cardiac arrest.
If you have started rescue breathing and the patient’s heart rate drops below 60bpm and has signs of poor perfusion what should you do?
Begin chest compressions.
After providing rescue breathing for 2 minutes what should you do?
Activate EMS if not already done. Continue rescue breathing checking pulse about every 2 minutes.
What should you do if no breathing or only gaspoing and definitely no pulse after 10 second check?
Witnessed vs. unwitnessed
If you witnessed the collapse then activate EMS and retrieve the AED and then begin CPR 30:2
If not witnessed, begin CPR 30:2
Use AED as soon as it is available
What is the compression ratio when you have a 2nd rescuer?
15:2
After 2 minutes of CPR and you are still alone what should you do?
- active EMS if not already done
2. Set up AED and have it analyze the rhythm to determine if it is shockable
What do you do after the AED delivers a shock?
Continue CPR for 2 minutes until AED analyzes again. Continue until ALS arrives or patient moves.
What do you do if the rhythm is not shockable?
Continue CPR for 2 minutes until AED analyzes again. Continue until ALs arrives or patients moves.
Where do you check a pulse on an infant?
Brachial
How do you perform a pulse check on a child?
Carotid or femoral
If the victim is breathing and a pulse is present
Monitor
If you are alone and the arrest was sudden and witnessed what should you do?
Leave the victim to activate EMS and get an AED
If you are alone and the arrest was NOT sudden and was NOT witnessed
Begin high quality CPR for 2 minutes
What technique do you use for chest compressions on an infant in single rescuer CPR?
Place 2 finger just below the nipple line in the center of the chest
What technique do you use for chest compressions on a child?
1 or 2 hands (whatever is needed to get adquate depth)
What is the compression rate for an infant?
100-120/min
Should chest compression and chest recoil last approximately the same amount of time?
Yes
What chest compression technique do you use in infant CPR when there are 2 rescuers?
The 2 thumb -encircling hands technique
Explain the 2 thumb-encircling hands technique
Place both thumbs side by side in the center of the infant’s chest, on the lower half o the breastbone.
The thumbs may overlap in very small infants.
Encircle the infant’s chest and support the infant’s back with the fingers of both hands
What is the compression:breath ratio in 2 rescuer infant CPR
15:2
How often do rescuers switch roles in infant CPR?
Every 2 minutes or every 5 cycles.
How long do you continue infant CPR?
Until the AED arrives, advanced providers take over or the infant begins to breathe, move or otherwise respond.
Why is the 2 thumb-encircling hands technique preferred in 2 rescuer infant cpr?
- may generate higher blood pressures
- improved blood supply to the heart muscle
- helps ensure consistent depth and force of chest compressions
What reduces the oxygen content in the blood of children who develop cardiac arrest?
The underdlying causes such as respriatory failure and shock tend to decrease oxygen supply in the blood making the delivery of breaths more important
What is the correct compression-to-ventillation ratio for a single rescuer of a 3-yeaar old child?
30:2
What is the correct compression-to ventilation ratio for a 7-year old child when 2 or more rescuers are present?
15:2
For what age victim is the 2 thumb-encircling hands technique recommended when 2 or more rescuers are present?
An infant younger than 1
