How to perform CPR if an infant or child chokes on food?

Choking is a dangerous hazard for a baby. When an infant, toddler, or child is choking, they may be unable to cry or make any noise to ask for help. Thus, it can be life-threatening for a child. In fact, as per the statistics, choking is the 4th most common cause of accidental deaths in children under the age of 5 in the U.S. Therefore, the parents, guardians, or anyone who is responsible for caring for a baby should get CPR Training in NY to handle emergencies such as choking, drowning, or respiratory problems.  

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a technique that helps restore a person’s breathing during medical emergencies such as a cardiac arrest. Performing CPR at the right time can significantly increase the patient’s survival chances and reduce recovery time. However, the CPR technique for infants and babies differs significantly from CPR for adults. Thus, it is best to learn the correct technique with accredited CPR classes in New York. 

Following are the warning signs where you need to perform CPR if your child is choking:

• If the child has been choking for a while and his skin tone starts turning bluish
• If the child has difficulty in breathing
• If the child is gasping while inhaling after the blockage is removed but unable to breathe properly
• If the child loses consciousness due to choking for longer

Here are the steps to performing safe CPR for a child:

1. First, you need to remove the blockage and clear the baby's airway.  So lay the baby face down on your forearm or lap and pat him between the shoulder blades to force the object to dislodge.
2. If the object does not dislodge, you can try using your fingers to remove the blockage carefully. And, if the baby’s face starts turning blue from lack of oxygen, you should shout for help and call 911 for immediate medical attention. 
3. When the object has been successfully removed, you may need to perform CPR if the child cannot breathe. For infants, you need to gently do chest compressions using two fingers and give rescue breaths after every 5 chest compressions. 
4. For children up to or under 14 years old, you should use the full palm for chest compressions. You should perform 30 chest compressions at 100-120 beats per minute followed by 2 rescue breaths and repeat. Make sure to put light pressure with the heel of your hand and continue CPR until the child becomes responsive or the help arrives. 

If you are interested in learning CPR techniques and becoming certified, get enrolled in accredited CPR Classes in the Bronx, NY. Get in touch with our team for any queries!