Child diseases and conditions

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Artificial Respiration

 

At times, a child may stop breathing because of drowning, electric shock, gas inhalation or smothering. Artificial respiration can be started.
If the child has drowned, first drain water from the lungs by laying him on his stomach for 10 to 15 seconds, with hips about a foot higher, using whatever is handy, a box, stool, or over your own knee.
Then do the following :

• Place the child on his back.


• Quickly wipe fluid, vomit, mucus or any foreign matter from the mouth.


• Open the air passages by raising neck and tilting head back.


• Keep the chin pressed upward all the time, to keep the air passages open.


• With a child’s small face, you can breathe into his nose and mouth together. With an older child, pinch the nostrils shut, take a deep breath, place your mouth tightly over the child’s open mouth, and blow. For a small child, make a seal with your mouth over both nose and mouth.


• In the case of a small child, breathe into the victim, using only shallow puffs, about 20 per minute. Remove your lips, allowing the child’s chest to contract while you inhale your next breath. Blow vigorously in the case of an older child (about 12 breaths per minute).


• Be sure the child’s head is in a correct position. Three of the most common errors in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation are inadequate extension of the victim’s head, inadequate opening of the rescuer’s mouth, and inadequate seal around the nose and mouth. and


• Keep on the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until the child continues to breathe by himself or until more professional help comes. Never give artificial respiration to a person who is breathing.