How fast should chest compressions be

Use these instructions only if the child's chest is too small for you to use both hands to do chest compressions. Otherwise, use the instructions for adult CPR above. Follow these life support steps before starting. We recommend you attend a first aid training course. It pays to have first aid skills because it will make dealing with an emergency situation easier. St John Ambulance Australia offers a range of first aid courses and can be contacted at stjohn.

To contact St John Ambulance Australia in your local area, call Royal Life Saving Australia organises training courses in first aid and resuscitation in every state and territory. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Read more on St John Ambulance Australia website. Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website. See how to do baby CPR. Check for danger. Check response. Send for help. Check airway and breathing. Start compressions and rescue breaths. Read more on raisingchildren. Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers.

Position yourself with your shoulders above your hands. Using your body weight not just your arms , press straight down by 5 to 6cm 2 to 2. Keeping your hands on their chest, release the compression and allow the chest to return to its original position.

Repeat these compressions at a rate of to times a minute until an ambulance arrives or you become exhausted. CPR with rescue breaths Place the heel of your hand on the centre of the person's chest, then place the other hand on top and press down by 5 to 6cm 2 to 2. Make sure the scene is safe, then tap the person on the shoulder and shout "Are you OK?

Call for assistance. If it's evident that the person needs help, call or ask a bystander to call , then send someone to get an AED. If an AED is unavailable, or a there is no bystander to access it, stay with the victim, call and begin administering assistance. Open the airway. With the person lying on his or her back, tilt the head back slightly to lift the chin. Check for breathing. Listen carefully, for no more than 10 seconds, for sounds of breathing.

Occasional gasping sounds do not equate to breathing. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Products and services. Learn the steps to perform this lifesaving technique on adults and children. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Open pop-up dialog box Chest compressions Close. Chest compressions To perform chest compressions, kneel next to the person's neck and shoulders.

Open pop-up dialog box Open the airway Close. Open the airway If you're trained in CPR and you've performed 30 chest compressions, open the person's airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver. Open pop-up dialog box Rescue breathing Close. Rescue breathing Open the airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again.

American Heart Association. Accessed Jan. Pozner CN. Basic life support BLS in adults. Duff JP, et al.