In a recent viral video, a two-year-old girl named Saige Pietroforte performs CPR, applying an AED trainer and giving compressions on an infant mannequin. Her father Chris, a former firefighter and EMT of 19 years, taught her how to administer CPR. View the video here.
When it comes to learning CPR, you may be thinking, “Am I the right person to do this? Is someone else better suited than me to try and save a life?” However, if a two-year-old child can learn CPR, then why can’t you? Everyone benefits from learning CPR. Sign up with a CPR class and earn your certification.
Once you have received training, all you have to remember are these 5 simple rules:
- Hand position and placement
- 30:2 (compressions to breaths)
- Head tilt, chin lift
- Look for chest rise and fall / signs of life
- Repeat
When someone requires CPR, you have to be able to spring into action. Your adrenaline is pumping, your palms are sweaty, and your training may flee your mind. You have someone’s life literally at your fingertips. With enough practice and proper instruction, these steps will eventually become muscle memory.
One way of developing this muscle memory is to use common songs to keep rhythm when performing 100-120 compressions per minute. A couple of light-hearted songs allow you to think clearly as you perform the required compressions, especially if you are administering for the first time. Saige picked the song “Baby Shark” to aid her in performing CPR on an infant mannequin. “Baby Shark” is an immensely popular children’s song that has the exact rhythm to perform the correct number of compressions. With a little help from their favorite songs, children are learning CPR and becoming future lifesavers everyday.
A more adult song to use as a guide is “Stayin’ Alive,” by the Bee Gees, which is not only a suitable song for the task at hand, but a song that most people know. Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” also works. These songs have been used to help teach children, adolescents, and adults to perform CPR. Any song with 100-120 beats per minute will aid you in keeping track of your compressions.
Learning CPR can seem daunting. However, with the proper training, development of muscle memory, and fun song to calm you and direct your compressions, you will be prepared to administerCPR when an emergency arises.
