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If someone needs immediate help with child cardiac arrest, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Their heart may have stopped.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Call 112. Push the child's chest hard and fast. Do not stop.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — The child does not respond when you tap their shoulders and shout their name.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Their chest is not rising and falling, or breathing is gasping and abnormal.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — They may have turned blue or grey around lips and fingernails.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — In children, cardiac arrest is often caused by breathing problems — choking, drowning, asthma attack, or a severe injury — rather than a heart attack.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child's heart can stop within minutes if they cannot breathe. Compressions must start immediately.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — For this guide, "child" means roughly 1 year old up to puberty. Infants under 1 year need different technique.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Check the scene is safe — remove obvious dangers if you can do so quickly.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tap both shoulders and shout the child's name loudly.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If no response — call 112 immediately or tell someone else to call while you start compressions.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Lay the child on a firm, flat surface on their back.
When and how to get professional help.
Any unresponsive child not breathing normally needs emergency care immediately.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do not diagnose the cause. Start compressions and call for help right away.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112. Say: "A child is not breathing. I am doing CPR. Send an ambulance immediately."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tell them the child's approximate age and what you think happened (choking, drowning, unknown).
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Stay on the line if possible — the operator can guide you.
Useful questions before or while you help.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT delay CPR to look for a pulse.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT use adult-force compressions on a small child — push one-third chest depth, not more.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT give up because the child is small — compressions can still save their life.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should not do CPR on a child because you might hurt them
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child without compressions will die. Push one-third chest depth — imperfect CPR is far better than none.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Infant cardiac arrest
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — An infant under 1 year who is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
Adult cardiac arrest
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — An adult who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Their heart may have stopped pumping blood.
Chest pain / heart attack
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person with sudden, severe chest pain, pressure, or discomfort that may spread to the arm, jaw, or back — possible heart attack.
Shock signs
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person who is pale, cold, sweaty, confused, and weak after injury, bleeding, allergy, infection, or illness — possible shock.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Place the heel of one hand (or two hands for a larger child) on the center of the chest.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Push down about one-third the depth of the chest — roughly 5 cm (2 inches) — at 100 to 120 pushes per minute.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Let the chest come fully back up between each push. Do not lean on the chest.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Every child in cardiac arrest needs emergency hospital care. Do not stop CPR until professionals take over.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If the child starts breathing before help arrives, roll them on their side and keep watching — they still need an ambulance.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Fear of causing harm stops people from starting life-saving compressions.