Monthly Archives: November 2015

Learning CPR and how to use an AED

We hope you never need to use CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), but everyone should take a course so that you’re prepared in case the need ever arises.

Administering CPR is different with infants, children, and adults. Smaller bodies require different techniques and have different breathing and heart rates.

In a CPR course you will learn how to identify if someone needs CPR, how to be sure the airway is open, and how to administer CPR. Of course, calling 911 is essential if someone is not breathing.

You can take a course with the American Red Cross or, in Georgetown, through the fire department or health department.

Probably you have seen the proliferation of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) in public places. This article from the National Institutes of Health describes AEDs and the need for them this way:

“An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

SCA is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.

SCA usually causes death if it’s not treated within minutes. In fact, each minute of SCA leads to a 10 percent reduction in survival. Using an AED on a person who is having SCA may save the person’s life.”

You don’t have to have a medical background to be able to use an AED, and the training isn’t difficult. The device itself is not terribly expensive to have in a workplace. For a few hundred dollars you can be prepared to save someone’s life.

© MBS Writing Services, 2015, all rights reserved

Blood pressure checks for children and teens

          Did you know that it’s possible for children to develop hypertension (high blood pressure)? Sometimes it is a genetic issue; sometimes it’s related to diet and lack of exercise. On rare occasions it can signal a serious underlying condition.

If your child’s blood pressure is too high, the pediatrician may want to do some tests to determine the cause, especially if the child is of normal weight. If obesity is the cause of hypertension, the doctor and nutritionist will help you develop a diet and exercise program to normalize weight and blood pressure. You will want to make sure that your child loses weight in a safe manor. Normal weight can also help prevent many other serious health issues, like diabetes.

Here’s a chart from emedicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics that gives normal ranges for heart rate (pulse), blood pressure, and respiration for children and teens.

Age Heart Rate (beats/min) Blood Pressure (mm Hg) Respiratory Rate (breaths/min)
Premature 120-170 * 55-75/35-45 40-70
0-3 mo 100-150 * 65-85/45-55 35-55
3-6 mo 90-120 70-90/50-65 30-45
6-12 mo 80-120 80-100/55-65 25-40
1-3 yr 70-110 90-105/55-70 20-30
3-6 yr 65-110 95-110/60-75 20-25
6-12 yr 60-95 100-120/60-75 14-22
12 > yr 55-85 110-135/65-85 12-18

* From Dieckmann R, Brownstein D, Gausche-Hill M (eds): Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals. Sudbury, Mass, Jones & Bartlett, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000, pp 43-45.

Also check out this article from the American Academy of Pediatrics about hypertension in children and teens. It gives lots of good information in how to prevent high blood pressure, signs and symptoms, and the importance of early detection.

At Georgetown Pediatrics, we typically start testing blood pressure in 3-year-olds. It’s something you should mention to your child because she might be frightened by it. Let her know it will squeeze tightly but won’t hurt. Some children even experience what health professionals call “white coat syndrome,” meaning a fear of medical offices and personnel. You can help your child get over this fear by not expressing any concerns in front of him, but speaking positively about doctors, nurses, and staff. Tell him that all those people like him and want him to stay healthy. Smile when you talk about them, be positive when you are in the office.

As your medical home, we always want your child to feel as comfortable as possible here.

© MBS Writing Services, 2015, all rights reserved