Infant and Child CPR

[colsxjack]

Has anyone taken any of these courses?

Was it worth it?

Did it help you to feel like you were prepared if anything happened to your children?

Have you ever had to use the skills, and do you feel like you were prepared/able to use the skills from the course?

We are looking into a course.

There are different options.

A couple of options that are 2.5 hours long class specifically for CPR. Run by paramedics.

And then there are the St. John's ambulance and Red Cross courses. Which are 8 hour courses and specialize in Infant, child and adult CPR. Much more expensive and more training. But is that level necessary?

Would you opt for a first aid and CPR or just CPR?

We were thinking of doing this when our 3.5 yr old was born. But never got around to it. Now we have a 3.5 yr old and 3 month old twins. So are back to thinking it is a good idea. The money isn't a problem. But the time for our family is at a premium.

Thanks for any input and insight.

[philomom]

I've taken these classes over and over again. I was a nanny, a mom, a teacher, and now I work at a preschool with toddlers. The classes are so worth it. I just took another set March 9th and still learned something even after all these years. Do it. You can help your family and maybe someone else's, too.

[34me]

I am a certified First Aid/CPR/AED instructor.  I would take the child/infant CPR class at a minimum.  I always think that the First Aid piece is common sence but have been teaching it for almost 20 years and always get a couple people in class that really would pull the knife out of the wound and then but butter on the burn.  But most, do not.  Adult CPR is not a bad skill to know but honestly, if you learn child you can figure out adult.

I have seen/done CPR several times but work in a high incidence environment.  I have never had to do it on my own kids.  I have never had a kid that choked either - just one that scalped himself, one that impaled herself on he bike, a couple broken bones....

[marsupial-mom]

I've taken them a number of times. Yes it's a good idea. Yes it helped me feel more prepared. I think everyone should do it. Full course if you can, but CPR as a minimum along with a good first aid kit and book.

[FitSista]

Hi,

24 hours ago I performed CPR on a 14 month old - my neighbours daughter...i have 3 children of my own 13 month old twins and a 2.5 year old. 

I have have had first aid for 25 years and have used it before on an adult but this was different, I have never been in such a gut wrenching and absolutley scary position.  I was handed the little blue baby by her mother because she was helpless to assist as she didn't know CPR, the look on her face i will never forget, she put her trust in me and because i had the training and although i was frightend, i felt as though i had control of the situation. I absolutely don't blame her because it is only because of my profession that i have always been required to have up to date CPR and if it wasn't for that I probably wouldn't have got around to getting it or doing anything about it either.

My point is this:  100% get educated on how to save your child - or anyone elses for that matter, even if it is just CPR, this WILL improve the chances of a child surviving drowning/choking/seizure/electrocution or other dangers and keep the child alive.  Remember, all you need to know is how to sustain life until the paramedics arrive.  In the situation of having to save a life you might not even do what you were taught perfectly but at least you can have a good hard crack at it and know you did your best.

The good news is she did survive and is perfectly fine

[colsxjack]

Thanks.

The hospital that we ended up having our children at has just begun to offer an infant/child CPR course for parents and caregivers. They always had one for parents with babies in NICU.

I am going to sign up for that one.

I am pretty confident in general first aid. I have taken first aid training before, and my wife is a nurse. So we feel confident that we would know what to do in case of a burn, cut, fall, etc.

But I do want to hone up on CPR course. And I think I will sign up our potential caregiver for a course also.

Thanks.

[erigeron]

I have to be certified in adult CPR for my job and they offer the class for us. The classes have always included a child portion too. I recertified shortly after my daughter was born and spent a lot of time practicing on the infant mannequins. I think these are skills that all parents should have (hmm, should get hubby to take a class).

[EchoSoul]

Glad you're doing it! I wanted to when I was pregnant, but like many others, never got around to it. I just read, over and over again, how to do it, and looked at pictures as many times as I could stand to look at them. And then several months ago my son found a dime and choked on it. I just wound up holding his arms over his head and whacking him as hard as I could stand between the shoulder blades, but he coughed it up. I definitely would have preferred to have a CPR course under my belt, though.