What is happening?

What to do

1. Baby under 24 hours or just born during delivery: call now and follow dispatcher newborn-resuscitation guidance, rather than this child sequence.
2. Check it is safe to approach. Speak and gently tap the arm. If unresponsive, call emergency services on speaker.
3. On their back: lift the chin. Baby: neutral head. Child: gently tilt back. Look, listen and feel for breathing, at most 10 seconds. Gasps are abnormal.
4. If breathing normally, do not compress. Keep the airway open. Without trauma, place on their side and monitor breathing. Follow the dispatcher.
5. Without normal breathing: 5 rescue breaths. Baby: cover mouth and nose with your mouth. Each breath lasts 1 second, just enough for chest rise.
6. Child over 1 year: pinch the nose and seal their mouth with yours for breaths.
7. If chest does not rise, adjust position and seal. Remove only easily reached visible objects. After 5 attempts, do not delay compressions.
8. Baby: encircle the chest with your hands and press with both thumbs. Child: use one or two hands. Press the lower half of the breastbone.
9. Use a firm surface if immediately available. Do not delay CPR to find one. Teenager: depth 5–6 cm. Younger child: at least one third of chest depth, never over 6 cm.
10. Press one-third of chest depth, never beyond 6 cm, 100–120/min. Allow full recoil. Alternate 30 compressions and 2 breaths. 15:2 only with specific pediatric training.
11. If unable to give breaths, keep compressing the chest with dispatcher guidance.
12. If someone else brings an AED, switch it on and follow prompts. Under 25 kg, approximately age 8: child mode. If unavailable, use adult mode.
13. Adult-sized pads on a child under 25 kg: one on the front, mid-chest just left of the breastbone. One on the back between shoulder blades. Nobody touches during analysis or shock.
14. Continue until the team takes over or normal breathing returns. Then monitor breathing. Report deterioration to the dispatcher.
15. After injury, minimise movement, but airway and CPR take priority. Vomit: turn enough to drain, remove only visible material, resume CPR if breathing is abnormal.
16. If breathing normally, maintain an open airway and watch continuously. Side position only without trauma. Mouth directed down to drain, support the head. Abnormal breathing: back and CPR.