What is the difference between infant and child CPR?

Infant CPR (under 1 year) uses two fingers for chest compressions at a depth of 4cm, while child CPR (1 year to puberty) uses one or two hands (heel of hand) at a depth of 5cm. The compression-to-ventilation ratio is 30:2 for a single rescuer and 15:2 for two rescuers in both cases, but for infants, you cover the mouth and nose with your mouth for breaths. Always check for responsiveness first and call for help after 1 minute of CPR if alone.

How do I treat a child with anaphylaxis?

First, call 999 immediately. If the child has an auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen), administer it into the outer thigh, holding for 10 seconds. For infants under 25kg, use a 0.15mg dose; for children over 25kg, use 0.3mg. Lay the child flat (or sitting if breathing is difficult) and monitor their airway. If symptoms don't improve after 5 minutes, give a second injection. Do not let them stand or walk, as this can worsen shock.

What should I do if a baby is choking?

For a choking infant (under 1 year), sit down and hold the baby face-down along your forearm, supporting the head and neck. Give 5 back blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Then turn the baby face-up on your thigh and give 5 chest thrusts (two fingers in the centre of the chest, just below the nipple line). Alternate between back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the baby becomes unconscious. If unconscious, start CPR and call 999.

How long is the RLSS UK Level 3 Paediatric First Aid qualification valid for?

The qualification is valid for 3 years from the date of certification. To remain current, you must take a full requalification course before the expiry date. It's recommended to refresh your skills annually through online updates or practice sessions, as first aid guidelines can change. Employers often require a valid certificate for roles in childcare settings.

Do I need to know how to use a defibrillator (AED) for children?

Yes, the course covers AED use for children over 1 year. Use paediatric pads if available; if not, adult pads can be used but placed on the chest and back (anterior-posterior position) to avoid overlap. For infants under 1 year, manual defibrillation is preferred, but if only an AED is available, use paediatric pads or adult pads with the same placement. Always follow the AED prompts and ensure no one is touching the child during shock delivery.

What is the recovery position for a child?

For a child over 1 year, kneel beside them and place the arm nearest to you at a right angle to their body. Bring the other arm across their chest and hold their hand against their cheek. Grasp the far leg just above the knee and pull it towards you, rolling the child onto their side. Tilt the head back to open the airway and adjust the top leg so the hip and knee are bent at right angles. For infants, hold them in a head-down tilt across your lap or on their side with the head lower than the chest to maintain an open airway.

How to Revise RLSS UK Qualifications level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid — RLSS UK Qualifications Other Vocational Qualification Health & Social Care

Purpose of the unit is for the learner to attain knowledge and practical competences required to deal with a range of paediatric first aid situations

Examiner Tips for RLSS UK Qualifications level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid

For practical assessments, verbalize your actions clearly, for example, 'I am checking for danger, the scene is safe,' to demonstrate underpinning knowledge.
Practice the transition between infant and child models to build muscle memory; this reduces hesitation during timed assessments.
Familiarize yourself with the latest RLSS UK Paediatric First Aid manual, as assessors expect current protocols to be followed precisely.
When managing choking, remember that the sequence of back blows and thrusts differs between infant and child; use a visual cue like pictograms in your mind.
During CPR scenarios, count compressions aloud to maintain an accurate rate and show the assessor your systematic approach.
When assessed, narrate your actions clearly to demonstrate your decision-making process, even if not explicitly required.
Practice the recovery position and spinal injury management repeatedly, as these are common high-mark scenarios.
Familiarise yourself with the specific guidelines of your awarding organisation, as they may reference UK-specific protocols like those from the Resuscitation Council.

Common Mistakes in RLSS UK Qualifications level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid

Confusing infant and child protocols: using child CPR techniques on an infant or vice versa, leading to ineffective compressions or injury.
Neglecting to call for emergency services before commencing first aid, particularly when alone with an unresponsive child.
Performing chest thrusts on a choking child instead of abdominal thrusts, or delivering back blows incorrectly by not supporting the infant’s head.
Failing to check for responsiveness by tapping the infant’s foot or shouting at a child, thereby misinterpreting the casualty’s status.
Allowing the airway to become obstructed during the recovery position by not tilting the head and lifting the chin adequately.
Incorrect compression-to-ventilation ratios, such as using 30:2 for infants when a two-rescuer approach should use 15:2.

Key Marking Points

Award credit for consistently following the DRABC protocol (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation) in the correct order during a primary survey.
Credit given for demonstrating infant CPR with two-finger technique at a depth of approximately 4 cm and a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute.
Award credit for performing child CPR with one or two hands as appropriate, ensuring full chest recoil and minimal interruptions.
Credit for correctly managing a choking infant by delivering up to five back blows followed by up to five chest thrusts, checking after each sequence.
Award credit for assessing the scene for hazards before approaching the casualty and for communicating effectively with emergency services.
Credit for demonstrating the recovery position for an unresponsive child with normal breathing, ensuring an open airway and monitoring vital signs.

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RLSS UK Qualifications level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid

RLSS-UK-QUALIFICATIONS

vocational

This subtopic focuses on the immediate assessment and management of life-threatening paediatric emergencies, equipping learners with the skills to perform a primary survey, administer CPR, and manage choking in infants and children. Practical application is central, as learners must demonstrate competence in simulated scenarios that replicate real-world incidents, such as an unresponsive child or severe airway obstruction. Mastery of these emergency interventions is critical for preventing deterioration and preserving life until professional help arrives.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment Guidance

Key Skills

Key Terms

Assessment Criteria

Topic Overview

The RLSS UK Qualifications Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid is a regulated qualification designed for individuals caring for infants and children, such as childminders, nursery staff, and parents. It covers essential first aid skills specific to children from birth to adolescence, including resuscitation, choking, and managing common childhood illnesses and injuries. This qualification meets Ofsted and EYFS requirements for early years practitioners, ensuring you can provide safe and effective emergency care.

The course is divided into two units: Emergency Paediatric First Aid and Managing Paediatric Illness, Injury, and Emergencies. You will learn how to assess an emergency situation, perform CPR on infants and children, treat wounds and fractures, and manage conditions like anaphylaxis, asthma, and meningitis. Practical scenarios are a key component, as the qualification emphasizes hands-on competence. Mastering this content is crucial for safeguarding children in your care and can be a legal requirement for certain roles in health and social care settings.

This award fits into the broader Health & Social Care curriculum by building your ability to respond to medical emergencies in childcare environments. It complements topics like child development, safeguarding, and health promotion. Understanding paediatric first aid not only prepares you for assessments but also equips you with life-saving skills that are immediately applicable in real-world situations, making you a more confident and responsible practitioner.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→DRSABCD: The primary survey acronym (Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation) adapted for infants and children, including differences in compression depth (4cm for infants, 5cm for children) and ratio (15:2 for two rescuers).
→Choking management: Back blows (5 for infants, 5 for children) followed by chest thrusts (infants) or abdominal thrusts (children over 1 year), with specific hand positions and force adjustments.
→Recovery position for infants and children: Infants are held in a head-down tilt, while children over 1 year are placed on their side with the airway open, using a modified lateral position.
→Recognition and treatment of anaphylaxis: Use of auto-injectors (e.g., EpiPen) in the outer thigh, with doses based on weight (0.15mg for infants, 0.3mg for children over 25kg).
→Management of febrile convulsions: Cooling measures, protecting the child from injury, and calling emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Award credit for consistently following the DRABC protocol (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation) in the correct order during a primary survey.
Credit given for demonstrating infant CPR with two-finger technique at a depth of approximately 4 cm and a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute.
Award credit for performing child CPR with one or two hands as appropriate, ensuring full chest recoil and minimal interruptions.
Credit for correctly managing a choking infant by delivering up to five back blows followed by up to five chest thrusts, checking after each sequence.
Award credit for assessing the scene for hazards before approaching the casualty and for communicating effectively with emergency services.
Credit for demonstrating the recovery position for an unresponsive child with normal breathing, ensuring an open airway and monitoring vital signs.
Award credit for demonstrating effective infant and child CPR, including correct compression-to-ventilation ratios and depth appropriate to age.
Award credit for correctly identifying signs and symptoms of common paediatric conditions such as anaphylaxis, asthma, or meningitis and applying appropriate first aid.

Assessment Criteria

Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

Award credit for consistently following the DRABC protocol (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation) in the correct order during a primary survey.
Credit given for demonstrating infant CPR with two-finger technique at a depth of approximately 4 cm and a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute.
Award credit for performing child CPR with one or two hands as appropriate, ensuring full chest recoil and minimal interruptions.
Credit for correctly managing a choking infant by delivering up to five back blows followed by up to five chest thrusts, checking after each sequence.
Award credit for assessing the scene for hazards before approaching the casualty and for communicating effectively with emergency services.
Credit for demonstrating the recovery position for an unresponsive child with normal breathing, ensuring an open airway and monitoring vital signs.
Award credit for demonstrating effective infant and child CPR, including correct compression-to-ventilation ratios and depth appropriate to age.
Award credit for correctly identifying signs and symptoms of common paediatric conditions such as anaphylaxis, asthma, or meningitis and applying appropriate first aid.
Award credit for safely managing a choking incident in an infant or child using back blows and abdominal thrusts as per current Resuscitation Council UK guidelines.
Award credit for demonstrating proper use of an adrenaline auto-injector or asthma inhaler in a simulated emergency.

Assessment Guidance

Guidance for achieving higher grades

💡For practical assessments, verbalize your actions clearly, for example, 'I am checking for danger, the scene is safe,' to demonstrate underpinning knowledge.
💡Practice the transition between infant and child models to build muscle memory; this reduces hesitation during timed assessments.
💡Familiarize yourself with the latest RLSS UK Paediatric First Aid manual, as assessors expect current protocols to be followed precisely.
💡When managing choking, remember that the sequence of back blows and thrusts differs between infant and child; use a visual cue like pictograms in your mind.
💡During CPR scenarios, count compressions aloud to maintain an accurate rate and show the assessor your systematic approach.
💡When assessed, narrate your actions clearly to demonstrate your decision-making process, even if not explicitly required.
💡Practice the recovery position and spinal injury management repeatedly, as these are common high-mark scenarios.
💡Familiarise yourself with the specific guidelines of your awarding organisation, as they may reference UK-specific protocols like those from the Resuscitation Council.
💡In practical assessments, always start with 'Danger' and 'Response' before calling for help. Examiners look for systematic approach; missing the primary survey steps can lose marks even if CPR is correct.
💡For written answers, use the exact terminology from the RLSS UK syllabus, e.g., 'chest thrusts' not 'chest compressions' for choking infants. This shows you know the specific protocols.
💡Practice the recovery position for both infants and children until it's automatic. Examiners often test this with a manikin, and common errors include not maintaining an open airway or not monitoring breathing afterwards.

Common Mistakes

Common errors to avoid in your coursework

Confusing infant and child protocols: using child CPR techniques on an infant or vice versa, leading to ineffective compressions or injury.
Neglecting to call for emergency services before commencing first aid, particularly when alone with an unresponsive child.
Performing chest thrusts on a choking child instead of abdominal thrusts, or delivering back blows incorrectly by not supporting the infant’s head.
Failing to check for responsiveness by tapping the infant’s foot or shouting at a child, thereby misinterpreting the casualty’s status.
Allowing the airway to become obstructed during the recovery position by not tilting the head and lifting the chin adequately.
Incorrect compression-to-ventilation ratios, such as using 30:2 for infants when a two-rescuer approach should use 15:2.
Confusing the CPR ratios and techniques for infants versus children, such as using adult compression depths on an infant.
Failing to check for dangers before approaching a casualty, compromising scene safety.
Incorrect placement of AED pads on a small child, potentially using adult pads without paediatric settings.
Overlooking the importance of calling emergency services promptly, especially in unwitnessed collapses.
Misconception: You should put something in a child's mouth during a seizure. Correction: Never insert anything into the mouth; instead, clear the area of hazards and time the seizure. Only call an ambulance if it lasts over 5 minutes or if it's the first seizure.
Misconception: CPR for infants uses the same hand placement as adults. Correction: For infants, use two fingers in the centre of the chest (just below the nipple line) for compressions, not the heel of one hand. For children, use one or two hands depending on size.
Misconception: If a child is choking, you should perform a finger sweep. Correction: Only do a finger sweep if you can see the object; blind sweeps can push the object further down. Use back blows and chest/abdominal thrusts instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic understanding of first aid principles, such as the chain of survival and universal precautions (e.g., gloves, handwashing).
•Familiarity with child development stages (infant, toddler, child) to understand why first aid techniques differ by age.
•No formal prerequisites, but prior completion of a Level 2 First Aid qualification (e.g., Emergency First Aid at Work) can provide a helpful foundation.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Purpose of the unit is for the learner to attain knowledge and practical competences required to deal with a range of paediatric first aid situations
Purpose of this unit is for the learner to attain knowledge and practical competencies required to deal with a wide range of CPR and First Aid skills related to children and includes equipping the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific paediatric injuries and illness.

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RLSS UK Qualifications level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Guidance

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

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