Danger
Check around you for danger. Remove the child and yourself from any danger.

Response
Check the child for a response. Ask them to open their eyes or squeeze your hand. Gently squeeze their shoulders.

Send for help
If the child isn’t responding or is breathing abnormally, call 000 for an ambulance.

Airway
Check the child’s mouth for airway blockages like food, vomit or blood. If there’s a blockage, roll the child into the recovery position. Open the child’s mouth, clear blockages with your fingers, and then roll the child onto their back again. Tilt the child’s head back and lift the chin to open their airway.

Breathing
If there are no blockages or you’ve cleared blockages, check for breathing. Look for chest movements, listen for breathing sounds from the nose or mouth, or feel for the child’s breath on your cheek.

Child breathing?
Gently roll the child into the recovery position – on their side with top leg bent. Regularly check for breathing until the ambulance arrives.

Child not breathing?
Start CPR.

CPR
Put the child on a firm surface on their back. Put the heels of your hands in the centre of the child’s chest, and interlock your fingers. With your arms straight, do 30 compressions – 2 compressions per second. Each compression should push the chest down by about one-third.

After 30 compressions, tilt the child’s head back and lift their chin to open their airway. Take a deep breath, seal your mouth over the child’s mouth, and pinch the soft part of their nose. Blow steadily for one second, and watch for the chest to rise. Watch, listen or feel for air leaving the chest. Take another breath, and blow into the child’s mouth again. If the chest doesn’t rise and fall, check again for blockages.

Keep giving 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths until medical help arrives. If the child starts breathing and responding, turn the child into the recovery position. Keep watching their breathing.

Be ready to start CPR again at any time.