American Academy of Pediatrics Technical Report

Available literature suggests a need for both initial cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and refresher courses. The establishment of a pediatric chain of survival for victims of cardiopulmonary arrest is the focus of this technical report and is advocated in the accompanying policy statement. Immediate bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for victims of cardiac arrest improves survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Pediatricians will improve the chance of survival of children and adults who experience cardiac arrest by advocating for basic life support training and participating in basic life support courses as participants and teachers. Pediatrics 2004;114:e761–e765. URL: www.pediatrics.org/ cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2004-2021, basic life support training courses, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, cardiac arrest, community education, parents, school children, automated external defibrillator, chain of survival. ABBREVIATIONS. SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, AED, automated external defibrillator, EMT, emergency medical technician, AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, HIV, human immunodeficiency virus.