Although you hope you’ll never use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a child or infant, it’s important to know the steps so that you can help in the event of a cardiac or breathing emergency.
And although you may have taken a class in child CPR, it’s a good idea to keep the steps handy so that the information stays fresh in your memory. With our printable step-by-step guide, you can access the child and baby CPR steps anytime, anywhere.
Simply print them up and place them in your car, your desk, your kitchen or with your other first aid supplies, then read over them from time to time to help maintain your skills.
Before Giving Child or Baby CPR
• Check the scene and the child.
• Make sure the scene is safe, then tap the child on the shoulder and shout “Are you OK?” to ensure that he or she needs help.
• For infants, flick the bottom of the foot to illicit a response.
• Call 911.
• If child does not respond, ask a bystander to call 911, then administer approximately 2 minutes of care.
• If you’re alone with the child or infant, administer 2 minutes of care, then call 911.
• If the child or infant does responds, call 911 to report any life-threatening conditions and obtain consent to give care. Check the child from head to toe and ask questions to find out what happened.
• Open the airway.
• With the child lying on his or her back, tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin.
• Check for breathing.
• Listen carefully, for no more than 10 seconds, for sounds of breathing. (Occasional gasps aren’t breathing.)
• Infants typically have periodic breathing, so changes in breathing pattern are normal.
• Deliver 2 rescue breaths if the child or infant isn’t breathing.
• With the head tilted back slightly and the chin lifted, pinch the child’s nose shut, make a complete seal by placing your mouth over the child’s mouth and breathe into the child’s mouth twice.
• For infants, use your mouth to make a complete seal over the infant’s mouth and nose, then blow in for one second to make the chest clearly rise.
• Now, deliver two rescue breaths.
• Begin CPR. If the child or baby is unresponsive to the rescue breaths, begin CPR.
Performing Child & Baby CPR
• Kneel beside the child or baby.
• Push hard, push fast.
• For children, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, then place the heel of the other hand on top of the first hand, and lace your fingers together.
• Deliver 30 quick compressions that are each about 2 inches deep.
• For infants, use 2 fingers to deliver 30 quick compressions that are each about 1.5 inches deep.
• Give 2 rescue breaths.
• Keep going. Continue the these baby or child CPR steps until you see obvious signs of life, such as steady breathing, or until an automated external defibrillator (AED) is ready to use, another trained responder or EMS professional is available to take over, you’re too exhausted to continue, or the scene becomes unsafe.
To see the child and baby CPR steps performed, watch the Red Cross child and infant CPR videos. For online, in person, and blended training courses on child, infant and adult CPR, visit redcross.org.
