1. Surprising Benefits of Sex Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Quiz: The Human Body
3. Causes of Fatigue Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Joseph Sciammarella, MD, FACP, FACEP

Joseph Sciammarella, MD, FACP, FACEP

Dr. Sciammarella graduated from American University of the Caribbean in June, 1985. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American Board of Emergency Medicine and has practiced Emergency Medicine for 19 years.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Sudden cardiac arrest is less common in children than it is in adults. It usually happens when there is a lack of oxygen caused by a breathing problem such as choking, near-drowning, or respiratory infections. Because oxygen often corrects the problem in a child, when an unresponsive, non-breathing child is found, CPR is performed for 1 minute before activating the EMS system. This may reverse the lack of oxygen and revive the child.

In order to use an AED on a child from one year of age through eight years of age a special pediatric cable is used to reduce the amount of energy provided by the electrical shock.

Doing CPR on children aged one year to eight years is similar to doing CPR on adults. However, there are some minor differences. Most are due to the child's smaller size.

• When compressing the chest, the heel of only 1 hand is used instead of 2 hands, and the chest is pressed down about ½ of its depth.
  
  
• Perform 5 cycles of 30 chest compressions followed by 2 breaths, then use an AED to evaluate the heart rhythm if available.. If an AED is not available, and the child is still not breathing normally, coughing, or moving, continue cycles of 30 compressions to 2 breaths until help arrives.

Must Read Articles Related to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Advance Directives Advance directives center around the principles of your right to die and death with dignity. A living will tells doctors what life-prolonging treatments to perf...learn more >>

See the Entire Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Topic Guide »