The New 2025 CPR Guidelines Are Here: What Parents & Caregivers Need to Know

The American Heart Association (AHA) just released its updated 2025 CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Guidelines, and there are some major changes especially when it comes to how we respond to choking and how we give infant CPR.

Because I am AHA Southwest Community Committee Chair and because I teach CPR, choking relief, and safety every single week, I want to break down what changed, why it matters, and what you should do now to stay current.

The Biggest Change: New Choking Guidelines for Children & Adults

For the first time, the American Heart Association is recommending a new approach to help conscious children (over the age of one year) and adults who are choking.

• What we were teaching before: Give abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) until the object comes out.

• What’s changing now: Alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts. Repeat this sequence until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

This is a big change, and it brings adult guidance in line with what many countries already practice, using back blows first to help clear the airway.

Updated Choking and CPR Response for Infants

Babies under 1 year old have a different protocol because their bodies are more delicate.

The new guidelines say:

• Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts

• NO abdominal thrusts for infants. This can cause internal injury.

• Back blows + chest thrusts are now the standard until the item comes out or the baby becomes unresponsive.

• Chest thrusts are now administered using the heel of one hand or utilizing the thumb encircling method as opposed to using two fingers on the chest

• During CPR, the chest compressions should be given using the heel of one hand or the thumb encircling method.

I’ll be covering this in depth in my upcoming classes so parents and caregivers know exactly what to do.

New Guidance on Opioid-Related Emergencies

Sadly, opioid overdoses are now one of the most common causes of emergency respiratory arrest. The new guidelines include:

• A new public algorithm for suspected opioid overdose

• When and how to use Naloxone (Narcan)

• How to respond if the person is not breathing or only gasping

This is especially important for schools, public venues, caregivers, and workplaces to understand.

One Chain of Survival for Everyone

In the past, there were separate Chains of Survival for adults, kids, and in-hospital vs. out-of-hospital emergencies. The AHA has now combined them into one single Chain of Survival to simplify training and increase confidence for bystanders who step in to help.

Why You Need to Learn CPR (or Get a Refresher!)

Only 41% of people who collapse from cardiac arrest outside the hospital receive CPR before help arrives. Quick action can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

And great news for parents and schools: Kids 12 years old and up are now encouraged to be taught CPR and how to use an AED effectively.

So, What Should You Do Now?

Here’s how to make sure you’re up to date:

• Take a CPR & Choking Relief class or sign up for a refresher if it’s been more than one year.

• Make sure your workplace, school, or organization updates their training to include these 2025 guidelines.

• If you have children, especially under age 5, learn these new infant CPR and choking relief guidelines

Want to Learn the New 2025 CPR + Choking Techniques?

I can provide CPR, First Aid, and Choking Relief classes for:

• Parents & caregivers

• Schools & daycare staff

• Churches & community groups

• Businesses & healthcare offices

These new CPR and choking guidelines are a huge step forward in making lifesaving skills more effective. The more people who learn them, the more lives we can save. Right now, about 65% of U.S. adults say they’ve never been trained in CPR, and only 18% are up to date on that training.

The good news is that confidence in performing CPR is growing. In one recent survey 39% of Americans said they feel confident in performing any type of CPR (up from 33% previously).

I believe everyone should know CPR and know how to respond when someone is choking. You never know when you’ll be the one who needs to act.

Stay safe!

Gail Gould

CPR and Safety Lady