British Red Cross: First Aid With an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

British Red Cross: First Aid With an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

All childcare providers prioritise protecting and safeguarding the children in their care along with protecting staff, parents and visitors. February is National Heart Month, highlighting the importance of Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) in childcare settings. We hope that an AED never has to be used, but it’s important to know what to do if an emergency occurs in your setting. 

Helping a child who is unresponsive and not breathing when an AED is available

1. Check for breathing by looking, listening and feeling for breaths.
- Tilt their head back and lift their chin to open their airway. Look at their chest or tummy to see if it is moving, listen and feel for breaths on your cheek.
- If they are not breathing you will not see, hear or feel signs of normal breathing. 

2. Call 999 immediately or ask someone else to do it. Ask someone to get the AED.
- Ask someone to call 999 immediately.
- If there’s an AED nearby it should be brought to the scene quickly.

3. Give five rescue breaths then continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths.
- To give rescue breaths, tilt their head back, seal your mouth over their mouth and blow steadily.
- To give chest compressions, push firmly downwards with one hand in the middle of their chest and then release.

4. Ask a helper to open the AED, turn it on if necessary and follow the voice prompts. 
- Continue to give chest compressions and rescue breaths. Try to minimise any interruptions to chest compressions. 
- The AED will give step by step instructions for you to follow. 

Paediatric first aid training

If you would like to learn how to help a child who is unresponsive and not breathing and more first aid skills, our two-day EYFS compliant paediatric first aid course is for you. It’s ideal for people who work with babies and young children, such as in nurseries or as a childminder.

> Find out more  

British Red Cross First Aid App

Why not make 2024 the year you brush up on your first aid skills? Share our free app with your team and families, so you’ll always know what to do in case of an emergency.

> Download the app

Don't forget, if you're a Morton Michel policyholder you can get 10% off the British Red Cross's paediatric training courses via our exclusive ChildCare Club. Find out more.

Please note, the information in this article is provided by the British Red Cross and does not represent the views or opinions of Morton Michel.