Resuscitation - child Knowing how to perform resuscitation could save a child's life.

What is it?

This technique is for a child (aged from one to puberty) who is unresponsive and isn't breathing normally.

Actions

Check for vital signs

• If child doesn't respond to gentle shaking, shout for help and proceed to open the airway
• Check for breathing, look for chest movement, listen for breathing and feel for the child's breath on your cheek
• Do this for ten seconds
• If the child isn't breathing, make sure someone has called an ambulance
• Carefully remove any visible obstruction from their mouth and nose, and give five initial rescue breaths
• Then give 30 chest compressions, and continue with cycles of two rescue breaths and 30 chest compressions

Giving chest compressions

• Place your hands on the centre of the child's chest and, with the heel of your hand, press down 30 times (use one or two hands depending on the size of the child in relation to you)
• Depress the chest to a third of its depth
• Do this at a rate of 100 times a minute

Further action

Continue the sequence until emergency help arrives, or the child starts to show some response

See resuscitating babies if the child is younger than one.

This article was reviewed by the British Red Cross in April 2007.