CPR Chest Compressions: Key Differences for Adults, Children, and Infants

Guidelines (AHA/ERC) for high-quality chest compressions differ by age:

Parameter	Adult	Child (1 yr–puberty)	Infant (<1 yr)
Rate	100–120/min	100–120/min	100–120/min
Depth	≥2 in (5 cm)	~2 in (5 cm) or ⅓ chest depth	~1.5 in (4 cm) or ⅓ chest depth
Hand placement	Lower half of sternum	Lower half of sternum	Just below nipple line (intermammary line)
Technique	2 hands	1 or 2 hands	2 fingers (single rescuer) or 2-thumb encircling (2 rescuers)
Compression:ventilation	30:2	30:2 (1 rescuer), 15:2 (2 rescuers)	30:2 (1 rescuer), 15:2 (2 rescuers)

Allow full chest recoil; minimize interruptions. High-quality CPR saves lives.