First aid skills can be useful to a person anywhere: on vacation, on the street, and sometimes at home. This is especially true for children, because they take everything in their mouths, it’s enough for the mother to be distracted for a few seconds so that the dangerous object is in the airways of the baby. Therefore, to know what cardiopulmonary resuscitation is, and everyone should be able to perform it.
The whole algorithm of actions is based on three points:
- Airway Restoration
- Breathing recovery
- Blood circulation restoration
How to clear the airways?
If the child is conscious, but cannot speak, breathe or cry, then there is a foreign object in his airways.
To remove it, the Heimlich technique is used:
- A very young child can be placed on its knees face down and patted on the back.
- If it does not help, then you need to stand behind the victim, grab him at the waist, close your arms at the level of the xiphoid process (lower edge of the sternum). At the same time, one hand is clenched into a fist, and the other clasps it. You need to make a few confident jolts directed up and in. Most often, this is enough for the child to breathe.
- Mucus or vomit is removed from the mouth with a finger on which a scarf or tissue is wound.
Difficulty breathing in a baby can be associated with Quincke's edema, when the laryngeal mucosa swells as a result of an allergic reaction, in which case a rash on the body can become an additional symptom. Parents whose children are prone to such reactions always have antiallergic drugs in the medicine cabinet , as well as prednisone, which is administered intramuscularly on an emergency basis.
In any case, you need to call an ambulance. If there is still a person, then this is done immediately, but if not, then after a two-minute attempt to restore breathing.
How to restore breathing and blood circulation?
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children is slightly different from the technique that is performed by adults.
First of all, bleeding stops if there is a wound. Only then can one act. To get air into the respiratory tract, the head must be thrown back, put a fabric roller under the neck, and pull the chin forward. Leaning over the child, you need to understand whether he breathes independently or not. If there are no signs of life, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is needed.
It is necessary to lay the victim on something solid, and make sure that his airways are passable. To do this, the nose is pinched and air is inhaled twice in the mouth. If the paths are clear, then the chest will rise. In order to observe this, it is necessary to face the victim’s feet.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation consists in saving lives, i.e., restoring blood circulation and breathing.
If the chest does not rise, you need to repeat Heimlich’s technique again , and if air comes in, then continue in this algorithm:
- To give him two breaths “mouth to mouth”, while holding his nose, at the interval that is needed for the air to go out. In very young children, air is inhaled immediately into the mouth and nose. Air inlet and outlet should be slow.
- Next, sit on the side, put your hand on the sternum and make 30 pressures with the base of the palm. The fingers should not touch the chest. If the child is small, it is enough to apply pressure with the index and middle fingers. The chest should be squeezed no more than 2.5 cm. Speed - 100 movements per minute.
- Then, repeat two mouth-to-mouth breaths again.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an alternation of pressure and inhalation in a ratio of 15: 2. Activities should be repeated until the ambulance arrives or until the child shows signs of life.
Doctors should evaluate the situation, so you need to remember exactly when the assistance was started.
Pulmonary heart resuscitation is an effective way to save a person if you start it on time.