How do you determine if an infant is in cardiac arrest?

Determining if an infant is in cardiac arrest primarily involves assessing responsiveness and breathing. In infants, the absence of responsiveness indicates a critical condition where the infant is unresponsive to stimuli or advancing towards unconsciousness. Additionally, checking for normal breathing is essential; if the infant is not breathing or only gasping, it signals a potential cardiac arrest situation.

Prompt identification based on these signs is crucial for initiating the appropriate response, including calling for emergency services and starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary. This systematic approach highlights the importance of immediate evaluation of both responsiveness and breathing as fundamental indicators of an infant's cardiac state. Other methods, such as assessing for signs of shock or checking skin color and temperature, can provide information regarding the infant's condition but are not definitive for diagnosing cardiac arrest. Similarly, listening for heart sounds is not a reliable method in an emergency setting, especially with infants, where immediate visual and tactile assessments are more practical and effective.