If you are alone with a child who requires CPR, how long should you perform CPR before calling for help?

When performing CPR on a child and you are alone, the recommended guideline is to provide approximately 2 minutes of CPR or about 5 cycles of chest compressions and rescue breaths before calling for help. This approach is based on the understanding that during those first crucial minutes, high-quality CPR significantly increases the chances of survival.

By performing CPR for this time frame, you are maximizing the child's chances of survival by ensuring that blood circulation and oxygenation are maintained while also minimizing the time taken before calling for assistance. After this initial CPR effort, calling for emergency help allows additional support to be brought in without compromising the immediate lifesaving measures you are providing.

Calling for help too early might not allow enough time for effective CPR to be administered, which is vital in improving the outcomes in cases of cardiac arrest in children. Therefore, focusing on CPR for about 2 minutes before seeking help establishes a solid foundation of care.