Pediatric CPR and AED for Preschool Educators — Early Childhood Education (preschool teacher)

Objective. Students will perform high-quality infant and child CPR (compression depth, rate, and ratio) and operate a pediatric AED trainer according to the certification provider's standard until each student achieves certification.

Why CPR and AED Certification Matters for Preschool Educators

Cardiac and breathing emergencies in young children are rare, but when they happen, the minutes before emergency medical services (EMS) arrive are critical. As a preschool educator, you are often the first and only trained adult on the scene. High-quality CPR keeps oxygenated blood moving to the brain and heart until advanced help arrives. An automated external defibrillator (AED) can restore a normal heart rhythm in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. Both the CDA credential and most state childcare licensing requirements expect you to hold a current pediatric CPR/AED certification from a recognized provider such as the American Heart Association (AHA) or the American Red Cross.

Recognizing a Cardiac or Breathing Emergency

Before you can help, you must recognize that something is wrong. Signs that a child or infant needs CPR include:

Unresponsiveness — the child does not react to tapping the shoulder or calling their name.
Absent or abnormal breathing — no visible chest rise, or only occasional gasping (agonal breathing), which is not effective breathing.
No pulse — check the brachial artery (inner upper arm) in infants; check the carotid artery (side of the neck) in children. Limit pulse check to no more than 10 seconds.

If the child is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call or have someone call 9-1-1 immediately, then begin CPR. Shout for a colleague to bring the AED.

Compression Technique: Depth, Rate, and Ratio

High-quality compressions are the foundation of effective CPR. The certification provider's standard (AHA or Red Cross) sets the following targets:

Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute for both infants and children.
Depth: At least one-third the anterior-posterior diameter of the chest — approximately 1.5 inches (4 cm) for infants and approximately 2 inches (5 cm) for children.
Recoil: Allow the chest to fully recoil (return to its normal position) between compressions. Do not lean on the chest.
Ratio: 30 compressions to 2 ventilations (30:2) for a single rescuer with one infant or child victim. In a two-rescuer scenario for infants and children, trained providers may use a 15:2 ratio — follow your provider's current guidelines.
Interruptions: Minimize pauses; aim for at least 80% chest compression fraction.

Infant hand placement: Two fingers on the center of the chest, just below the nipple line. In two-rescuer infant CPR, use the two-thumb encircling technique.

Child hand placement: One or two hands (depending on the child's size) on the lower half of the sternum, avoiding the xiphoid process.

Airway and Ventilation

After every 30 compressions (single rescuer), open the airway using a head-tilt/chin-lift unless spinal injury is suspected (use jaw thrust instead). Give 2 rescue breaths, each lasting about 1 second, watching for visible chest rise. Avoid over-inflation — breathe just enough to see the chest rise. Use a barrier device (face shield or pocket mask) every time to protect both the rescuer and the child from cross-contamination.

Using the AED

AEDs are safe, voice-guided devices. When a pediatric-capable AED and pediatric pad adapter are available, use them for children under approximately 8 years of age or under approximately 55 pounds (25 kg) — follow your specific device's instructions. General steps:

1. Power on the AED.

2. Attach pads as shown in the diagram — one pad on the upper right chest, one on the lower left side. If pads risk touching each other on a small child, place one pad on the front center of the chest and one on the back.

3. Ensure no one is touching the child; press Analyze.

4. If a shock is advised, ensure everyone is clear, then press Shock.

5. Resume CPR immediately after the shock and continue until EMS arrives or the child shows signs of life.

Safety Points for This Lab

Barrier devices are required for every ventilation attempt on mannequins — treat the lab the same as a real emergency.
Wipe mannequin faces with the disinfectant wipes provided between users to prevent cross-contamination.
Report any mannequin or AED trainer malfunction to the instructor immediately — never use damaged equipment.
Compressing too hard on mannequins can damage the feedback device; follow instructor guidance on realistic force.
If you feel lightheaded during practice ventilations, stop and notify the instructor.

Two-Rescuer CPR

When a second trained rescuer is present, one person performs compressions while the other manages the airway, delivers ventilations, and operates the AED. Clear, calm communication is essential: the compressor calls the count aloud, and rescuers switch roles approximately every 2 minutes to prevent fatigue and maintain compression quality. During role switches, minimize interruptions to compressions.

Achieving and Maintaining Certification

Your certification provider requires you to demonstrate 100% of critical skills steps and pass a written knowledge check. Certification cards are typically valid for 2 years. Keep your card accessible — many state childcare license renewals and CDA Professional Development Specialist visits require proof of current certification. If you do not pass any portion during today's lab, you will receive immediate remediation and retest before the session ends.

Key terms9

Compression-to-ventilation ratioThe number of chest compressions given before rescue breaths; the standard single-rescuer ratio for infants and children is 30 compressions to 2 ventilations (30:2).

Chest compression fractionThe proportion of resuscitation time during which compressions are actually being delivered; high-quality CPR aims for at least 80%.

Agonal breathingIrregular, gasping breaths that sometimes occur shortly after cardiac arrest; not effective breathing and should be treated as absent breathing.

AED (Automated External Defibrillator)A portable, voice-guided device that analyzes heart rhythm and delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal rhythm in cases of certain cardiac arrests.

Pediatric pad adapterAn attachment used with an AED to reduce the energy delivered to young children, making the device appropriate for smaller bodies.

Head-tilt/chin-liftA manual technique used to open the airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin forward, moving the tongue away from the airway.

Brachial pulseThe pulse felt on the inner upper arm, used to assess circulation in infants during CPR assessment.

Full chest recoilThe complete return of the chest wall to its resting position between compressions, which allows the heart to refill with blood; leaning on the chest prevents full recoil.

Barrier deviceA protective tool such as a face shield or pocket mask placed between the rescuer's mouth and the victim's face during rescue breathing to reduce cross-contamination risk.

In class: Practice 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio on infant and child mannequins with immediate feedback from a CPR feedback device, adjusting compression depth and rate until the device signals correct technique for two consecutive cycles. · Complete a two-rescuer CPR scenario with a partner: one performs compressions while the other manages airway and AED trainer pads, then switch roles — instructor evaluates hand placement, rate, depth, and communication. · Complete the written knowledge check required by the certification provider covering recognition of cardiac arrest, activation of EMS, and AED use — score and review answers immediately for remediation.
Materials: Infant and child CPR mannequins with feedback devices, AED trainer unit with pediatric pad adapter, barrier devices (face shields), certification provider student manual, written knowledge check from provider
Check: Certification provider's pass standard for pediatric CPR/AED skills and written test — typically 100% of critical skills steps and a passing score on the written test as defined by the provider (American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or equivalent); instructor documents completion; students who do not pass on first attempt receive immediate remediation and retest within the lab period.

Practice check8

Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.