I was a careful mother. I followed children tips about safety for home like never leaving my child unattended and always using safety gates and car seats.
But I found out even the most careful mom is no match for a toddler who can quickly climb a table, dismantle a toy or grab a hunk of food from her brother’s plate.
One day while I cleaned up lunch dishes, my toddler grew unusually silent. I turned to discover her slumping in her seat, her lips turning a sickly shade of blue. Not knowing choking first aid, I did the only thing that came naturally -- I grabbed her out of her chair and turned her face down over my knee. Fortunately, the little piece of food that had lodged in her throat broke free when I did. She took a deep breath; then we both cried.
Later I learned that when a child’s heart stops beating, it’s almost always the result of a breathing emergency. A child whose heart has stopped will have irreversible brain damage within 4 to 6 minutes and will die within 8 to 10 minutes. Since the average ambulance response time is 10 to 12 minutes, I decided it was time for me to learn baby CPR.
The American Heart Association estimates that the use of CPR could save the lives of over 1 million children per year. Still, according to a study conducted by Dateline NBC, only 3 percent of the instructors at daycare centers in the U.S. know how to perform CPR, and even fewer parents know the procedure.
These days it’s easier to learn CPR. A new video called "Baby & Child CPR" explains the procedure in step-by-step instructions, using demonstrations and easy-to-understand language. Available in English and in Spanish versions, this is the only CPR and Choking Relief program based on new American Heart Association guidelines.
Better yet, it’s designed for parents and other non-professionals. Even my 12-year-old daughter (still breathing after all these years) learned some new tricks to expand on her Red Cross babysitting class, which included instruction in CPR.
For more tips visit Baby Center or call 800-BABYCPR.
Linda Wacyk is the mother of four children and a freelance writer from Grand Ledge, Michigan.