Infant
Younger than about 1 year old, excluding a newborn at birth.
Child & Infant CPR
Learn the shared response steps, then see the correct compression technique for each age group.
About a 7-minute lesson
Is this happening right now?
Call 911Call 911 immediately, use speakerphone, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
Which Age Group?
Child
About age 1 until signs of puberty. After puberty, use adult CPR guidance.
Begin CPR when they are:
Unresponsive
Not breathing normally or only gasping
A lay responder should not delay CPR while trying to check for a pulse.
Shared response
Six CPR Steps
Check safety
Make sure the area is safe before approaching.
Check response and breathing
Tap and shout. Look for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. Gasping is not normal.
Call 911 and get an AED
Use speakerphone and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Send someone for an AED if available.
Start with 30 compressions
Push at 100–120 compressions per minute and allow the chest to rise fully after every push.
Give 2 breaths
Open the airway, make a seal, and give 2 breaths—about 1 second each—watching for chest rise.
Continue CPR and use the AED
Repeat 30 compressions and 2 breaths. Attach an AED as soon as possible and follow its prompts.
Child and Infant Differences
For a Child
- Place one or two hands in the center of the chest.
- Compress at least one-third the chest depth—about 2 inches.
- Use 100–120 compressions per minute.
For an Infant
- Use one hand or the two-thumb encircling-hands technique.
- If you cannot encircle the chest, use the heel of one hand.
- Compress at least one-third the chest depth—about 1½ inches.
Current 2025 guidance no longer recommends the two-finger compression technique.
Breaths matter
Children often need oxygen support.
CPR with breaths is encouraged for children and infants. If you cannot or will not give breaths, provide compression-only CPR instead of doing nothing.
Keep These Numbers in Mind
Use an AED as soon as possible.
Use pediatric pads or a pediatric setting if available. If they aren’t available, follow the AED’s instructions and the 911 dispatcher’s guidance.