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CPR and Rescue Breathing for Infants with Tracheostomy

You Arrive on the Scene

Check the scene for safety. Check the infant for consciousness. Gently tap their shoulder or flick the bottom of their heel and shout.

No Response

Call 911 immediately.

If the infant is lying on their stomach, turn them over onto their back. The infant should be lying on a hard, flat surface.

Check for Breathing and Signs of Life

Watch the infant’s chest for any normal movement. Look for signs of life and breathing for no more than 10 seconds.

No Breathing or Signs of Life

Begin CPR

1. Position the heel of 1 hand or use the two thumb–encircling hands technique just below the nipple line.
2. Compress the chest 1 ½ inches in depth 30 times.
3. After 30 compressions, give two breaths using the resuscitation bag attached to the trach. Gently squeeze the bag and give two breaths—just enough to make the infant’s chest rise.
4. Continue with 30 compressions and two breaths, 30 compressions and two breaths, etc.

If Breaths Do Not Make the Chest Rise:

1. Suction the trach tube. If the trach has an inner cannula, remove it and suction the length of the trach tube.
2. Change the trach if it is plugged or dislodged.
3. Give two breaths to the trach, using a resuscitation bag.

Continue CPR until another rescuer takes over, you see signs of life, or help arrives.

Take a CPR Class

The Center for Simulation and Research at Cincinnati Children’s offers CPR classes for patient families. Call 513-636-1096 for more information.