pem pearl: teaching kids cpr
These articles review the effectiveness and retention of basic life support training in children. One, a meta-analysis, shows that children are interested in learning and are BLS/CPR multipliers meaning that they go home and talk about what they learned, prompting others to learn as well (no one wants to be shown up by a toddler). The CHECK-CALL-COMPRESS method is recommended by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation to teach school age children.
By age 4, children are able to assess the first step in the chain of survival - CHECK - assessing for responsiveness and breathing. By age 6, children can dial the emergency number and give the correct information for the location of the call. By age 10-12 children are able to get correct chest compression depths and ventilation volumes in CPR manikins. Hands-on training is more beneficial compared to verbal only instruction.
Areas where CPR is taught to school age children as a part of the school curriculum have higher rates of bystander CPR.
The additional article shows that retention isn't great, but even 2 years out the scores were higher than the pre-instruction scores.
Bottom line: CPR should be introduced to elementary school children and yearly or twice yearly training can aid in knowledge retention.
By age 4, children are able to assess the first step in the chain of survival - CHECK - assessing for responsiveness and breathing. By age 6, children can dial the emergency number and give the correct information for the location of the call. By age 10-12 children are able to get correct chest compression depths and ventilation volumes in CPR manikins. Hands-on training is more beneficial compared to verbal only instruction.
Areas where CPR is taught to school age children as a part of the school curriculum have higher rates of bystander CPR.
The additional article shows that retention isn't great, but even 2 years out the scores were higher than the pre-instruction scores.
Bottom line: CPR should be introduced to elementary school children and yearly or twice yearly training can aid in knowledge retention.
