Nobody wants to think about their baby in an emergency. But the few minutes between something going wrong and help arriving are the most important minutes of all — and what you do in those minutes can make the difference between a scare and a tragedy. This article covers the essentials, but I want to be upfront: reading an article is not a substitute for taking an infant CPR and first aid class. Please, please take one. The American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and many local hospitals offer them, often for free or low cost. It's a few hours that could save your child's life.
With that said, here's what every parent should know.
Infant CPR: The Basics
This section is for reference — not a replacement for hands-on training.
CPR for infants (under 12 months) is different from adult CPR. If your baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally:
1. Check responsiveness. Tap the bottom of the foot and shout the baby's name. Do not shake the baby.
2. Call 911. If someone is with you, have them call while you start CPR. If you're alone, perform 2 minutes of CPR first, then call 911. Put the phone on speaker.
3. Open the airway. Place the baby on a firm, flat surface. Tilt the head back slightly (neutral position — don't over-extend) and lift the chin.
4. Give 2 rescue breaths. Cover the baby's nose and mouth with your mouth and give two gentle puffs — just enough to see the chest rise. An infant's lungs are tiny; you're not blowing hard.
5. Begin chest compressions. Place two fingers (index and middle) on the center of the chest, just below the nipple line. Push down about 1.5 inches (one-third the depth of the chest) at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. That's fast — roughly the tempo of the song "Staying Alive."
6. Continue cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the baby responds, help arrives, or you're too exhausted to continue.
For children over 12 months, the technique changes: use the heel of one hand for compressions, push deeper (about 2 inches), and pinch the nose while giving rescue breaths through the mouth only.
I'll say it again: take a class. Practicing on a mannequin is the only way to truly learn this skill. When your hands are shaking and adrenaline is flooding your body, muscle memory is what you'll rely on.
Choking: Infants vs. Toddlers
Choking is one of the most common emergencies in young children. Knowing the difference between "gagging" and "choking" is critical:
- Gagging is noisy — coughing, sputtering, eyes watering. The airway is partially blocked. Let your baby work it out; their gag reflex is doing its job. Do not stick your fingers in their mouth.
- Choking is silent or nearly silent. The baby cannot cough, cry, or breathe. Their face may turn red or blue. This is an emergency.
### For infants under 12 months (choking, conscious):
1. Place the baby face-down on your forearm, head lower than the body, supporting the head and jaw with your hand.
2. Give 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
3. If the object doesn't come out, flip the baby face-up on your forearm and give 5 chest thrusts using two fingers on the center of the chest (same position as CPR compressions).
4. Alternate between 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the baby becomes unresponsive (then begin CPR and call 911).
### For toddlers over 12 months (choking, conscious):
Perform the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts):
1. Stand or kneel behind the child. 2. Make a fist and place it just above the belly button. 3. Grasp your fist with the other hand and give quick, upward thrusts. 4. Continue until the object is expelled or the child becomes unresponsive.
Common Injuries and How to Handle Them
### Bumps and Falls
Babies fall. Toddlers fall constantly. Most falls result in bumps and bruises that look worse than they are.
- Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling (wrap ice in a cloth — never apply ice directly to skin).
- Watch for signs of concussion: vomiting, excessive sleepiness, unequal pupil size, unusual irritability, loss of balance.
- If your child fell from a height greater than 3 feet (off a changing table, for example), call your pediatrician even if they seem fine.
### Cuts and Scrapes
- Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth to stop bleeding.
- Rinse with clean, running water. No hydrogen peroxide or alcohol — these damage tissue and slow healing.
- Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage.
- Seek medical attention for cuts that are deep, gaping, won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure, or are on the face.
### Burns
- For minor burns (small area, redness, no blisters): Run cool (not cold) water over the area for 10-20 minutes. Do not apply butter, oil, or toothpaste. Cover loosely with a sterile bandage.
- For more serious burns (blisters, large area, white or charred skin): Call 911. Do not remove clothing stuck to the burn. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and wait for help.
### Fever
Fever itself is not dangerous — it's a sign that the immune system is working. However:
- Under 3 months: Any fever of 100.4°F or above is an emergency. Go to the ER immediately.
- 3-6 months: Call your pediatrician for fevers above 102°F.
- Over 6 months: Treat with appropriate doses of infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen (ibuprofen for 6 months and older). Call the doctor if the fever is above 104°F, lasts more than 3 days, or your child seems unusually ill.
Never give aspirin to children — it's associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious condition.
When to Call 911 vs. Urgent Care vs. the ER
This is one of the hardest calls for parents. Here's a framework:
### Call 911 for:
- Not breathing or difficulty breathing
- Unconsciousness or unresponsiveness
- Seizures (especially a first-time seizure)
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
- Significant bleeding that won't stop
- Possible poisoning
- Choking that you cannot resolve
- Submersion in water (even if the child seems fine afterward)
### Go to the ER for:
- High fever in a baby under 3 months
- Head injury with vomiting or behavior changes
- Broken bones (obvious deformity, inability to move a limb)
- Deep cuts that may need stitches
- Burns larger than the child's palm
- Dehydration (no wet diapers for 8+ hours, no tears when crying)
### Urgent care or pediatrician for:
- Ear pain or possible ear infection
- Mild rashes
- Minor cuts and scrapes
- Low-grade fevers with no other concerning symptoms
- Mild vomiting or diarrhea (keeping some fluids down)
When in doubt, call your pediatrician's nurse line. That's literally what it's there for.
Building a Baby First Aid Kit
Keep one in your home and one in the car:
- Infant acetaminophen (Tylenol) and infant ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil, for 6+ months)
- Digital thermometer (rectal is most accurate for infants)
- Saline nose drops and a bulb syringe or NoseFrida
- Bandages in assorted sizes
- Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin or similar)
- Sterile gauze pads and medical tape
- Tweezers (for splinters)
- Oral syringe for administering medication
- Cold pack
- Pediatrician's phone number and Poison Control number: 1-800-222-1222
- List of your child's allergies and medications
- A copy of your child's weight (for dosing medication correctly)
Allergic Reactions
Mild allergic reactions (hives, mild swelling, runny nose) can often be managed with age-appropriate antihistamine and a call to the pediatrician.
Signs of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) — call 911 immediately:
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Widespread hives combined with other symptoms
- Vomiting or diarrhea after exposure to an allergen
- Loss of consciousness or extreme drowsiness
- Pale or bluish skin
If your child has a known severe allergy, always have two EpiPens available and make sure every caregiver knows how to use them.
Poison Control
The Poison Control number is 1-800-222-1222. Save it in your phone right now. They are available 24/7 and can tell you whether you need to go to the ER or if the situation can be managed at home.
Call Poison Control if your child ingests:
- Medications (even children's medications in wrong doses)
- Cleaning products
- Plants
- Batteries (button batteries are especially dangerous — go to the ER immediately)
- Essential oils
- Personal care products
Do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed to by Poison Control or a doctor. Some substances cause more damage coming back up.
Drowning Prevention
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, and it looks nothing like what you see in movies. Real drowning is silent — there is no splashing, no screaming. A child can drown in as little as one inch of water in under 60 seconds.
- Never leave a child unattended near any water. Not the bath, not a kiddie pool, not a bucket of water on the deck.
- Empty all containers of water when not in use — including buckets, coolers, and pet bowls.
- If you have a pool, a four-sided fence with a self-latching gate is essential. Drowning in a home pool is preventable.
- Learn CPR. If a drowning incident occurs, starting CPR immediately while waiting for help dramatically improves outcomes.
The Most Important Thing You Can Do
Stay calm. I know that sounds impossible when your baby is hurt, but your calm voice and steady hands will keep a bad situation from becoming worse. Kids look to their parents for cues — if you're panicking, they'll panic too. If you're calm and in control, it reassures them even through pain and fear.
Prepare before you need to. Take the class. Stock the first aid kit. Save the phone numbers. And hope you never need any of it.
Use Evo to store emergency contacts, your child's medical information, and medication dosing charts — because having everything in one place matters most when every second counts.