Help Save a Life: Learn CPR
The importance of knowing CPR
Help Save a Life: Learn CPR
Would you know what to do if your child went into cardiac arrest? Calling 911 should always be the first step, but before medical professionals arrive, immediately performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will greatly increase his chance for survival. In fact, a recent study by the National Institutes of Health shows CPR to be effective in children and adolescents who suffer from non-traumatic cardiac arrest due to drowning, electrocution, or choking.
When an individual suffers an out-of-hospital heart attack, his survival depends greatly on receiving immediate CPR from a bystander. However, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), less than one-third of these individuals receive the help they need, because most bystanders are untrained in CPR and are afraid they will do something wrong.
CPR is a life-saving technique that helps maintain some blood flow to the brain and heart, and can help "buy time" until paramedics arrive with more advanced care. The American College of Cardiology provides a comprehensive fact sheet on the basics of CPR and instructions for administering compressions for trained and untrained people.
How and where to get trained
The American Red Cross recommends hands-only CPR for those who are untrained in CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Hands-only CPR can double or triple an individual's chance for survival if provided within four to six minutes of collapse. To perform hands-only CPR on an unresponsive person, follow these steps:
- Call 911 immediately.
- Press hard and fast in the center of the victim's chest.
Although hands-only CPR can be as effective as conventional CPR, the AHA still recommends taking a professionally-taught course to practice and learn the necessary skills of CPR, including giving high-quality chest compressions. Mouth-to-mouth breathing, as taught in CPR courses, can be more effective for infants and children, drowning victims, and those who have collapsed due to breathing problems.
Remember, the first thing to do in an emergency is to call 911 for help. But to increase the chances of doing your part to save a life, get certified in CPR. To find a CPR course near you, visit the following professional websites:
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Red Cross
American Heart Association
How do your CPR skills stack up? Take our CPR quiz and find out!
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