Be a lazy medic

[Brian]

Tag. I need to get some refresher classes. Heck I'd still be giving someone mouth-to-mouth if I had to perform CPR, and I know that's no longer taught.

What's a good age for a kid to learn CPR for the first time? I'd guess by 10-11, they'd be pretty solid, right?

[RonMexico]

Tag. I need to get some refresher classes. Heck I'd still be giving someone mouth-to-mouth if I had to perform CPR, and I know that's no longer taught.

What's a good age for a kid to learn CPR for the first time? I'd guess by 10-11, they'd be pretty solid, right?

[anaphylaxis]

Tag. I need to get some refresher classes. Heck I'd still be giving someone mouth-to-mouth if I had to perform CPR, and I know that's no longer taught.

Not true. Breaths are still taught, including mouth to mouth breathing. I am an American Heart Association instructor, and was previously a Red Cross instructor. Breaths have never been eliminated from certification courses.

While it is true that *most* adults will have a small oxygen reserve after cardiac arrest, breaths become very important after the first few minutes once the circulating reserve is gone.

Most pediatric victims will not sustain a heart problem leading to cardiac arrest, but will have a airway or breathing problem. The latest studies show that compression only CPR isn't as effective on infants and children for that reason.

Compression only CPR is ONLY appropriate is the lay rescuer is untrained in CPR, or is unwilling to provide breaths. Better than nothing. Other than that, breaths should be provided.

What's a good age for a kid to learn CPR for the first time? I'd guess by 10-11, they'd be pretty solid, right?

I ask for participants in my classes to be around 12 at a minimum. For just learning very basic stuff (call 911, compressions) a child can learn much younger. There of course is the fact that a smaller child will likely not be very effective on someone significantly larger.