First aid: unconsciousness

If your child is unconscious and isn't breathing, she's at risk of brain damage and her heart may stop. If your child collapses, assess her condition quickly so you know what first aid treatment to give.

If she is unconscious but still breathing, call for help and place her in the recovery position. If she's unconscious and not breathing, you will need to give rescue breaths to get oxygen into her body, then give chest compressions with rescue breaths to get the oxygenated blood circulating. This is called cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Assessing an unconscious baby under one year

1. Find out if your baby is conscious by calling her name and tapping the sole of her foot. If she doesn't respond, shout for help.
2. Open the airway by lifting the chin with one finger and tilting the head back.
3. Look, listen, and feel for signs of breathing. Look along your baby's chest and abdomen to see if there is any movement. Listen for sounds of breathing and feel for breaths on your cheek for up to 10 seconds.
4. If there are no signs of breathing, you should give five rescue breaths. If you have help, get someone else to call an ambulance. If you are on your own do CPR for one minute, then call an ambulance.
5. If she is breathing, hold her in your arms with her head lower than her chest and call an ambulance.

Assessing an unconscious child

1. Find out whether your child is conscious by tapping his shoulder. Keep calling his name. If he doesn't respond, shout for help.
2. Open the airway. Tilt his head back by placing one hand on his forehead. Put two fingers under your child's chin and lift his jaw.
3. Look, listen and feel for signs of breathing. Look along your child's chest and abdomen for movements; listen for sounds of breathing; and feel for his breath on your cheek.
4. If he is not breathing, give five rescue breaths. If you have help, get someone else to call an ambulance. If you are on your own, do CPR for one minute, then call an ambulance.
5. If he is breathing, place him in the recovery position and call an ambulance.

Rescue breathing for a baby under one year

1. If your baby has stopped breathing, keep her head tilted, and lift the chin with one finger. Check the baby's mouth for obvious obstructions. Pick out anything you can see.
2. Inhale, put your mouth over your baby's nostrils and mouth making a tight seal. Breathe gently into her mouth and nose so that her chest rises - about one second. Remove your lips and let the chest fall. Give five rescue breaths. If you can't get the breaths in, begin chest compressions.

Rescue breathing for a child

1. If your child has stopped breathing, keep his head tilted, and lift his chin with two fingers on the point of the chin. Check the child's mouth for obvious obstructions. Pick out anything you can see.
2. Support the chin with one hand, and using the finger and thumb of your other hand, pinch your child's nostrils closed. Inhale, put your mouth over his mouth, making a complete seal, and breathe out until his chest rises - about one second. Remove your lips and let the chest fall. Give five rescue breaths. Then begin chest compressions.

Chest compressions for a baby under one year

1. Lay your baby down on a firm surface and position two fingers only on the centre of the chest.
2. Press down sharply on the chest with the tips of your two fingers to a depth one-third of the depth of the chest; release the pressure, but don't remove your fingers. Give 30 compressions at a rate of about 100 compressions a minute.
3. Give two rescue breaths. Continue alternating 30 chest compressions with two rescue breaths. After one minute, send for an ambulance, if it has not already been called. Take your baby to the phone with you if necessary. Continue resuscitation until the ambulance arrives, the baby starts breathing or you are too exhausted to keep going.

Chest compressions for a child

1. Lay your child on his back on a firm surface. Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the child's chest.
2. Press down sharply to a depth one-third of the depth of the chest. Release the pressure, but don't remove your hand. Give 30 compressions at a rate of 100 compressions per minute.
3. Give two rescue breaths. Alternate 30 chest compressions with two rescue breaths for one minute. After one minute, call an ambulance if it has not already been done. Then continue resuscitation until the ambulance arrives, the child starts breathing or you are too exhausted to keep going.

Recovery position after unconsciousness

For a baby under one year

Cradle your baby in your arms with her body facing slightly towards you. Keep her head lower than her body to help keep the airway open.

For a child

An unconscious child who is breathing should be placed in the recovery position to keep her airway open and to allow liquids to drain from her mouth. Roll your child over onto her side with the uppermost leg bent and the lower leg straight. Make sure her lower arm is clear of her body. Bend her upper arm at the elbow so that it supports her body, place her upper hand under her cheek to help keep the head back.

Dr Miriam Stoppard

New Babycare
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley
Text copyright © 2009 Miriam Stoppard

Posted 30.06.2010

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