Breathing

THE NORMAL BREATHING RATE OF AN ADULT IS 16 TO 18 TIMES PER MINUTE.

Check for breathing by placing your ear over the casualty's mouth and nose, and looking toward his chest:

(1) Look for rise and fall of the casualty's chest (Figure 2-6).

(2) Listen for sounds of breathing.

IF THE BREATHING STOPS CARRY THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

CHECK PULSE

Look for it on the carotid arteries, on either side of the throat for at least five seconds, before deciding if it is absent.

OPEN AIRWAY

Place your right hand on the victim's forehead, displacing it downwards, and with your left hand hold the victim's chin; bring it upwards and forward.

If head or neck injury is suspected

Place yourself behind the patient's head and with your hands cupped grab both jaws, pulling them upwards and displacing the mandible forward, avoiding bending or twisting the head.

CHECK AGAIN IF THERE IS BREATHING

CLEAN AIRWAY

Remove dentures, if there are any. Wrap your index finger in a gauze and remove, as if it were a hook, any foreign bodies.
CHECK AGAIN IF THERE IS BREATHING

MOUTH TO MOUTH RESPIRATION

Place your lips around the victim's lips and close the victim's nose keeping the airway open.

Blow air out twice into the victim's mouth. Notice how the chest lifts up. After each blow check that the chest moves downwards.

MOUTH TO NOSE RESPIRATION

THIS METHOD IS APPLICABLE FOR CHILDREN BELOW 1YR OF AGE.IN THIS METHOD BREATH IS GIVEN THROUGFH THE NOSE & THE MOUTH IS CLOSED.