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Emergency Procedures for Infants and Children
The following information is designed to give you general guidelines, but is not intended nor can it fully substitute for hands-on training in CPR and other emergency procedures. All family members who reside in a home with a swimming pool, spa or hot tub should become familiar with the guidelines for how to perform CPR for both adults and children. The guidelines for children are somewhat different from those for adults. Therefore, it you have infants and/or children.ages 8 and under - or if such children regularly and routinely visit your household - it is especially important for you to learn proper emergency procedures, including CPR. CPR is the combination of techniques that includes rescue breathing and artificial circulation. Rescue breathing is used for respiratory arrest - when breathing stops. Chest compressions are used along with rescue breathing when there is no pulse and the heart stops beating. Training in CPR is generally available in your community from such groups as the Canadian Red Cross and professional fire department personnel. You and your family members have the responsibility to learn and practice CPR to protect your own children, your friends and loved ones and yourselves. |
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Prepare for an Emergency
Poolside rescue equipment, including a ring buoy with an attached
line and/or a long handled hook, should be available to assist in removing the child from
the water. This equipment should never be used for play. Emergency procedures should be clearly written and posted in the pool or spa/hot tub area. In Case of Emergency:
1. Dial 9-1-1. It is advisable to have a cordless telephone available in the pool or spa/hot tub area. 2. Give your:
3. Don't hang up the phone until after the emergency person does, to ensure that you have answered all of his/her questions and given all pertinent information. Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
However, there are also guidelines for cardiac support, in those cases where no pulse or heartbeat is present. But performing these techniques requires extreme care and hands-on practice in a CPR instruction course. Please learn and practice CPR. |
Guidelines for Rescue Breathing
If an accident happens, you should first determine if the child is
conscious and breathing by seeing if he/she responds to gentle shaking. Be especially
careful if the child may have sustained head or neck trauma so as not to cause spinal cord
injury. But even if the child is conscious - or if you have any doubts whatsoever - you should immediately call "911 " or the emergency medical services number in your area. If the child is unconscious, follow the procedures below: 1. Call out for help. Stay with the child while someone else calls "911 ". If you are alone and the child is obviously not breathing, try one minute of CPR rescue breathing techniques before leaving the child to call for help. 2. Position the child on his/her back, lying flat on a firm surface. If there is evidence of head and neck injury, use extreme caution in moving the child and keep in mind that the child must be turned as a unit with firm support of the head and neck so the head does not roll, twist or tilt. 3. Straighten the neck (unless injury is suspected) and lift the jaw. 4. Give slow, steady breaths into an infant's nose and mouth; into a larger child's mouth with nostrils pinched closed. 5. Breaths at 20 breaths per minute for infants and 15 breaths per minute for children, using only enough air to move the chest up and down.
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