Posted by Catherine Brinkley Saving American Hearts December 11, 2022 on Dec 13th 2022
How well do you know your Basic Life Support?
It's summertime and you are planning a huge pool party! All of your friends are coming over, there will be barbeque, desserts, lots of fun and lots of children coming over to swim. At least fifteen adults and children come over. Everyone is having a wonderful time at the pool and several of the parents are making sure the children are all safe in the water.
There are so many kids and adults to keep track of that no one noticed the two year old fell in the pool after taking off her floaties. An adult male screams "Call 9-1-1, there's a baby in the pool!" The adult quickly grabs the child and lays her down on the ground. The child is having very deep and long gasps, only once every several seconds. After giving two breaths, the child remains unresponsive and CPR is started. The adult begins high quality chest compressions using the 2 thumb encircling hands technique. Another adult rushes to the child's side to give rescue breaths using the mouth to mouth technique. 15 compressions are given, and then two rescue breaths. There isn't a nearby AED, the house is quite a distance from the city, at least a 20 minute drive. EMS is in the area and has been dispatched to the address. CPR continues and every five cycles of CPR, rescuers switch compressors and take turns checking for a pulse and giving breaths. After the third round of compressions and breaths, EMS arrives and takes over CPR. The child's clothes are removed from her upper body, her wet chest is dried with a towel and defibrillator pads are attached. Suddenly, the child begins to wiggle, she's gasping for air and water pours from her mouth, she begins to cry. The quick thinking of these CPR certified adults, saved this baby's life. Drowning victims should be given rescue breaths before starting CPR. EMS did the right thing by wiping the water off the chest before attaching the AED pads. Luckily, a shock was not needed. The child was taken to the local hospital for evaluation and was released home with no apparent problems.
If you own a pool, or have children, or plans to go swimming in a pool, a lake, or getting on a boat, please take a life support class. You may be the only person who knows what to do in an emergency. Please get your children CPR certified too, they may one day, save your life!
To learn more about CPR please visit AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider Classes Colorado Springs, Colorado (savingamericanhearts.com) and www.elearning.heart.org for online course.
We have live, in person classes too! See our calendar for dates and times.