There can be nothing more frightening than witnessing a loved one go into cardiac arrest and collapse. That feeling of helplessness and fear as you dial 911 praying that the responder can get to your loved one immediately to help, is devastating and can be debilitating. It’s a chilling scenario and one that happens frequently at home. The American Heart Association reports that approximately 80% of cardiac arrests happen at home in front of a family member. What happens if that family member is a teen?
With CPR training for teens, it is the aim to empower teens to use the appropriate CPR steps and respond quickly and effectively to help save a life. It is the aim of all CPR classes not to allow feelings of helplessness and shock overcome the bystander if their family member suddenly stops breathing.
There is precious time between finding your loved one and when the first responders arrive. It can be the difference between life and death. And although it seems a huge responsibility to place on anyone’s shoulders, once they possess the tools, jump into action and understand the steps they must take, they no longer feel powerless.
Once your teen has his CPR certification, parents feel more comfortable if they are babysitting siblings or if they hold a babysitting job. If a child is choking, suffocates or drowns, knowing they are fully capable to administer CPR immediately, will help teens to understand that they have done all they could and they will feel empowered.
