FAQ: 2025 Pediatric and Neonatal CPR Guidelines Update

What are the 2025 CPR guidelines for pediatric and neonatal emergency care?

The 2025 guidelines are comprehensive updates to pediatric basic and advanced life support and neonatal resuscitation recommendations, jointly published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association to address the unique needs of infants and children during cardiac emergencies.

Why are these updated pediatric CPR guidelines important?

These guidelines are crucial because children are not little adults and require specific resuscitation approaches, with over 7,000 out-of-hospital and 20,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests occurring annually in infants and children in the United States.

Who developed these updated pediatric and neonatal resuscitation guidelines?

The guidelines were developed by expert writing groups from both the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association, with balanced representation from both organizations co-leading the Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Pediatric Basic Life Support, and Neonatal Resuscitation chapters.

When were these updated guidelines published and where can they be found?

The guidelines were published online on October 22, 2025, in Circulation and Pediatrics journals as part of a comprehensive update of CPR and emergency cardiovascular care recommendations.

What are the key changes in pediatric basic life support for choking emergencies?

For infants with severe choking, repeated cycles of 5 back blows alternating with 5 chest thrusts are recommended (abdominal thrusts are not recommended). For children with severe choking, repeated cycles of 5 back blows alternating with 5 abdominal thrusts are now recommended.

How have chest compression techniques changed for infants in the new guidelines?

For infants, recommended compression techniques include either the one-hand technique or two thumbs-encircling hands technique. If the rescuer cannot encircle the chest, compressing with the heel of one hand is recommended, while the two-finger sternum technique was eliminated due to ineffectiveness in achieving proper depth.

What is the significance of the single chain of survival concept in the new guidelines?

The guidelines now apply a single chain of survival to both adult and pediatric in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, emphasizing that prevention and preparedness before cardiac arrest can both avoid emergencies and optimize resuscitation outcomes.

Who should use these pediatric and neonatal resuscitation guidelines?

The guidelines are intended for both lay responders and healthcare professionals who provide care for infants and children in community, prehospital, and facility-based environments.

What is the neonatal resuscitation need highlighted in the guidelines?

The guidelines note that one out of every 10-20 newborns each year needs help transitioning from the fluid-filled womb environment to the air-filled room, emphasizing the essential need for properly trained neonatal clinical care.