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Essential Differences in CPR and Choking Relief Techniques for All Age Groups

By Kimesha Blackwood BScN, MEd.

Heart and Stroke Foundation Canada Intructor

Blackwood's Healthcare Learning Center Instructor.


Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and choking first aid save lives when seconds count. Yet, the way you perform these interventions varies significantly depending on whether the victim is an infant, child, or adult. Using the wrong technique can cause harm instead of help. This guide explains how CPR and choking relief differ by age group, so you can respond confidently and correctly in an emergency.


Understanding these differences is crucial for anyone who might face a situation where quick action is needed. Let’s explore how to recognize emergencies and apply the right care for each age group.



What Is CPR and When Is It Needed?


CPR is an emergency procedure used when a person’s heart stops beating or they stop breathing normally. It combines chest compressions with rescue breaths to keep oxygen flowing to the brain and vital organs. Without oxygen, brain damage can occur within minutes.


CPR aims to manually maintain circulation and breathing until professional help arrives or the heart restarts on its own.



Recognizing and Responding to Choking


Choking happens when a foreign object blocks the airway, preventing air from reaching the lungs. Signs include:


  • Inability to speak or cry

  • Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing

  • Coughing that is weak or ineffective

  • Skin turning blue or pale


Quick recognition and proper intervention can clear the airway and save a life. The techniques to relieve choking also differ depending on the victim’s age.





CPR Techniques for Adults (Puberty and Older)


Adults require firm, deep compressions because their chest wall and heart are larger. The key points for adult CPR are:


  • Hand placement: Use two hands, one on top of the other, in the center of the chest (on the lower half of the sternum).

  • Compression depth: At least 2 inches (5 cm).

  • Compression rate: 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

  • Compression-to-breath ratio: 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths when performing CPR alone.

  • Focus: Strong, fast compressions with full chest recoil between each push.


Adults require compressions deep enough to circulate blood effectively, but rescuers must allow the chest to fully rise/recoil after each compression to maximize blood flow.



CPR Techniques for Children (1 Year to Puberty)


Children’s bodies are smaller and more fragile than adults, so CPR must be adjusted accordingly:


  • Hand placement: Use one or two hands depending on the child’s size. Smaller children usually require one hand.

  • Compression depth: About 2 inches (5 cm) or one-third of the chest depth.

  • Compression rate: 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

  • Compression-to-breath ratio: 30:2 for a single rescuer, 15:2 when two rescuers are present.

  • Focus: Compressions should be firm but not as forceful as adult CPR.


Children’s hearts and chest walls are smaller, so compressions don’t need to be as deep, but they must still be effective to maintain circulation.



CPR Techniques for Infants (Under 1 Year)


Infants are the most delicate group and require the gentlest approach:


  • Hand placement: Use two fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipple line for a single rescuer. Two rescuers can use the two-thumb encircling technique.

  • Compression depth: About 1.5 inches (4 cm) or one-third of the chest depth.

  • Compression rate: 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

  • Compression-to-breath ratio: 30:2 for a single rescuer, 15:2 for two rescuers.

  • Focus: Gentle but consistent compressions to avoid injury.


Because infants’ ribs are soft and flexible, compressions must be controlled to prevent damage while still providing enough force to circulate blood.



Choking Relief for Adults and Children


When someone is choking and cannot breathe, immediate action is needed to clear the airway.


  • Encourage coughing: If the person can cough forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing.

  • Back blows: Deliver up to 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.

  • Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver): If back blows don’t work, perform abdominal thrusts by standing behind the person, placing a fist above the navel, and pulling sharply inward and upward.


Repeat back blows and abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unconscious. Call emergency services if your actions do not help or the victim goes unresponsive.



Choking Relief for Infants


Infants require a different approach because abdominal thrusts can cause injury.


  • Positioning: Hold the infant face down on your forearm, supporting the head and neck.

  • Back blows: Deliver up to 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.

  • Chest thrusts: If back blows don’t work, turn the infant face up and give up to 5 chest thrusts using two fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipple line.


Alternate between back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the infant becomes unresponsive.



What to Do If the Victim Becomes Unconscious


If the person loses consciousness during choking:


  1. Call emergency services immediately.

  2. Begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.

  3. Before giving rescue breaths, open the mouth and look for the object. If visible, carefully remove it with a finger sweep.

  4. Continue CPR until help arrives or the person recovers.



Why Knowing These Differences Matters


Using adult CPR on an infant or child can cause broken ribs or damage to internal organs. Conversely, using infant techniques on an adult will not provide enough force to circulate blood effectively. The same applies to choking relief methods.


Proper training ensures you can act quickly and safely, increasing the chance of survival and reducing the risk of injury.



Final Thoughts


Learning CPR and choking relief techniques tailored to infants, children, and adults equips you to save lives in emergencies. Practice regularly, stay calm, and remember these key differences:


  • Adults need deep, strong compressions with two hands.

  • Children require slightly gentler compressions with one or two hands.

  • Infants need gentle compressions using fingers or thumbs.

  • Choking relief varies by age, with abdominal thrusts for adults and children, and back blows plus chest thrusts for infants.


Consider taking a certified first aid course to gain hands-on experience. Your knowledge and confidence could make all the difference when seconds count.


Blackwood's Healthcare Learning Center Inc.

Unit 207, 965 Dundas Street West, Whitby Ontario L1P1G8

9052443277



 
 
 

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