If - god forbid - you should have to perform CPR on a young child or an infant, it is very important that you know specifically how to do that.  Children - especially infants - can be fatally harmed by incorrectly administering CPR, and that is absolutely the last thing

It is best to seek out an appropriate first aid course, but make sure that the course covers children and infant first aid, or alternatively, let the course convenor know what you want to learn so that they can cover the important things for you.  CPR is best learnt by doing, but to give you some pointers, here is a basic guide to CPR for young children and infants.  This information has been taken from "Australian First Aid" an authorised manual of St John Ambulance, Australia, 3rd edition published 1998.

"As with adults, an infant or child who stops breathing will become unconscious because there is no oxygen reaching the brain.  Lack of oxygen will also cause the heartbeat to slow down until it stops.  You need to ensure the airway is clear and get air into the lungs as quickly as possible.  If the heart has stopped, you need to get blood flowing to the brain again.

In determining which resuscitation technique to use, the age of the child needs to be considered.  For resuscitation purposes children are classified as follows:

Infants:           newborn - 1 year
Young child:  1-8 years
Older child:   9-14 years

For an older child, use the same resuscitation techniques as for adults.

A first aid course will cover how to put someone into a recovery position and what to do if they're unconscious but still breathing.

The first step of CPR is a technique known as expired air resuscitation (EAR).  If someone is not breathing, but their heart is still beating you only need to administer EAR.  Before you can do this, however, you need to remove any obstructions and open the child's airway.

For infants

CLEAR AIRWAY

1. With the infant in recovery position (for infants, the most suitable recovery position is lying face down on an adult's forearm with the head supported by the hand), clear mouth and nostrils of foreign material.
2. Place infant flat on back.
3. Tilt head back very slightly, to achieve an open airway.
4. Lift chin to bring tongue away from back of throat.
5. Avoid pressure on soft tissue under infant's chin.
   Note: Do not tilt the head if you suspect a neck injury
6. Look, listen and feel for breathing for up to 10 seconds.
7. If breathing:  put in recovery position
   If NOT breathing:  continue to hold on back and start EAR.

EAR - Expired Air Resuscitation

1. Support the infant's head.  Cover infant's mouth and nose with your mouth and give 2 gentle puffs of air from your cheeks, sufficient to make the infant's chest rise (2 effective breaths - note: give up to 5 breaths to achieve at least 2 effective breaths).
2. After the initial 2 puffs, check the pulse.  If there is a pulse but no breathing, continue to inflate the lungs at a rate of 20 times per minute.
3. Check the pulse about every minute.  To check an infant's pulse, check the brachial pulse in the inner upper arm.  To check a newborn's pulse, check the apex beat - chest below left nipple.  Note: Check pulse for no more than 10 seconds before continuing resuscitation.

If the child's heart has stopped beating or if you cannot feel a pulse, giving chest compressions will help maintian blood circulation through the heart and to the brain.  External chest compression (ECC) is always combined with EAR - the combination of the two is known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Although CPR for young children and infants is similar to that used for adults and older children (over 8 years), there are some differences due to their smaller bodies and because respiratory arrest (stopping breathing) is more likely than cardiac arrest (heart stopping beating).  Children have faster breathing rates , so the speed of your breath must be adjusted.  The pressure you give during compressions must also be adjusted.  NOTE:  For a newborn baby, chest compressions should not be attempted by anyone untrained in neonatal resuscitation.

CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

1. Use 2 fingers (index and middle) over lower half of sternum (one finger's breadth below the inter-nipple line) to give chest compressions.
2. Compress chest approx. 1/3 depth of chest.
3. Give 5 chest compressions in 3 seconds followed by 1 breath.

When to stop CPR

It is important to ensure that once CPR has commenced, there is no interruption, unless:

• the child shows signs of life
• qualified help arrives
• you are physically unable to continue."