Giving breaths during CPR can help infants. Like children, many cases of cardiac arrest in infants are primarily due to respiratory problems. Giving breaths and administering chest compressions are important for infants receiving CPR. A good breath will cause the chest to rise.
To open the person’s airway, do the following:
- Put one hand on their forehead.
- Place your fingers on the bony part of their chin.
- Gently tilt the head back while lifting the chin.
Figure 26
Be careful not to tilt the head too far back as this can block the airway. Be sure to press on the bony part of the chin and not the soft part under the chin as pressing the soft part may also block the airway.
Once you’ve opened the infant’s airway, you are ready to give breaths.
Next, do the following:
- Hold the airway open as described above by gently pressing forehead back and lifting chin with your fingers (Figure 26a).
- Take a deep breath and seal your mouth around the infant’s mouth and nose (Figure 26b).
- Blow for one second and watch the chest rise (Figure 26c). Very little volume or force is required to inflate an infant’s lungs. Blowing too much or too hard will damage the infant’s lungs. Only a gentle exhale for a tiny puff of air is required for an infant.
- Repeat for a second breath.
If you are unable to cover both mouth and nose entirely with your mouth, use the following method for rescue breathing:
- Open the airway using the head-tilt/ chin-lift maneuver.
- Pinch the infant’s nose closed. Create a seal using your lips to surround the infant’s mouth.
If the chest does not rise after the first breath, let the head go back to normal position and then re-open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin. Try to get a breath in while watching for chest rise. Do not interrupt compressions for any more than 10 seconds when giving breaths.
Figure 27
MASK USE
Giving breaths in CPR is generally safe for the rescuer. However, if a mask is available, it should be used. The mask fits over the infant’s mouth and nose. Many masks have a pointed or tapered end which should go over the bridge of the infant’s nose. Make sure the mask fits properly; if it is too large, a proper seal cannot be obtained and efforts to deliver breaths will be ineffective.
When using a mask to give breaths, do the following:
- Place the mask over the infant’s mouth and nose (Figure 27a).
- Open their airway by performing the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver.
- Ensure a good seal between the mask and the face. (Figure 27b)
- Give a breath for over one second and watch the chest rise. (Figure 26c)
ACTIVATING 911/EMS
- Always make sure the scene is safe when approaching an infant. If you become injured or disabled, it will only make the situation worse.
- Tap the infant and talk loudly to determine if they are unresponsive. If they fail to make any response or reaction, they are considered unresponsive. An unresponsive infant will not move when you touch them. They will not cry or make any sounds, and their body will be limp.
- Yell for help and call 911/EMS using a cell phone. If no cell phone is available, send someone else to call 911/EMS if possible.
- If you are alone, begin ten cycles of CPR (about two minutes) before calling 911/EMS.