Parents Corner

This page is a work in progress to add resources we find helpful and hope you will too.

CPR DONE RIGHT

As a nursing professional, I am dedicated to teaching life-saving skills. My journey into educating parents on safety began when I became a mother to a beautiful baby girl. We strive to support our community by expanding our focus beyond CPR and First Aid to include essential topics such as car seat safety.
Cheryl McWilliams

Resources

Choking

 Did you Know:

  • Infants airway is about the size of a straw
  • A toddlers airway is about the size of your pinky
  • Choking is silent
  • Taking a CPR class includes training on choking emergency

Goals as a parent:

  • Know high risk foods
  • Know when to help
  • Know how to help
  • Know when call 911
  • Know when to start CPR

High Risk Foods for Infants & Toddlers

Highest food risks for up to age 5.

  1. Hot dogs
  2. Whole grapes
  3. Candy (think hard or sticky candy). 
  4. Whole cherry tomatoes
  5. Whole nuts
  6. Big spoonful of peanut butter
  7. Cubes of cheese
  8. Raw vegetables
  9. Popcorn 
  10. Whole blue berries
  11. Whole olives 

Infant – How to help when choking

An infant is defined by a child up to 1 year of age.

Their airway is about the size of a straw.

Read our Step – by – Guide on how to help an infant who is choking.  Includes helpful pictures and step by step instructions.

Toddler – How to help when choking

A toddler’s airway up to about age 5 is about the size of your pinky.

Resources

Car Seat Safety

Did you Know:

  • Picking the right car seat is based on age, size, and developmental needs (not cost)
  • Most aftermarket products are not recommended to use and can be unsafe
  • You should not buy a used car seat

Goals as a parent:

  • Know the types of car seats
  • Know how to pick the right car seat for your child
  • Know how to properly install
  • Know when to change your seat
  • Take a car seat safety class

A note about –  Safe in the Seat

I am pleased to recommend the resources provided by Michelle, a dedicated mom and Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Expert. She has created an outstanding online education platform, Safe in the Seat, that I recommend. Since discovering her courses in 2021, I have gained invaluable knowledge and insights, and I enjoy following her on Instagram for further tips and updates. 

As we start offering in-person courses at CPR Done Right, we’re looking forward to providing hands-on training, where families can practice installing car seats and receive helpful inspections. I’ll definitely keep recommending Michelle’s online courses because they perfectly support our mission of helping families stay safe on the road!

Training from CPR Done Right

Starting summer 2025

  • We will offer in-person courses with a certified car seat safety technician
  • Participants will have hands-on practice installing various car seats
  • Option for installation inspections

Types of Car Seats

Basically you can divide the types of car seats into 5 main categories:

  • Infant
  • Convertible
  • Forward Facing only
  • High Back Booster
  • No Back Booster

Helpful blog from Safe in the Seat describing the differences with pros/cons

Picking the Right Car Seat

Choosing the right car seat can be daunting. I know this firsthand because I have purchased four different ones. I was overwhelmed by the numerous types and brands available.

An important thing to know is that not all car seats are the same. The type of seat needed depends on several things like age, size, and developmental needs. So, it’s important to understand your needs an do your research. The most expensive may not actually be the best for your child.

When I transitioned from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat, I found the Car Seat Finder from Safe in the Seat to be an incredibly helpful tool. It made it much easier to narrow down my options.

Helpful resources:

Online Car Seat Training

Online educational resources I recommend:

Great place to start getting information about the basics of car seats (Free resource)

Safe in the Seat. Cost for online courses but lots of free tips on her Instagram page.

Resources

CPR

Did you Know:

  • Infants usually have healthy hearts. If an infants heart stops it is usually because they are having trouble breathing or can’t breathe.
  • 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home 
  • Every 1 min someone needs CPR and does not receive it their chance of survival decreases by 10%. Average EMS response time is 7-10 minutes.

Goals as a parent:

  • Learn how to identify and handling choking emergencies
  • Take a CPR course with hands-on practice to gain confidence

Infant/Child CPR

If a child or infant’s heart stops, you should provide compressions with breaths.

  • Step 1: Make sure the scene is safe.
  • Step 2: Check to see if they are wake and breathing normally. If they are not…..
  • Step 3: Shout for help/Call 911
  • Step 4: Provide CPR (compressions and breaths)
Helpful Handouts:

CPR Courses at CPR Done Right

CPR Family and Friends:

  • Covers: Customizable CPR course
  • Registration: Private group of 4 or more
  • Certification: Non Certification AHA course
  • Length: 2.5 hours

Heartsaver CPR/AED

  • Covers: CPR, AED use, and Choking emergencies
  • Registration: Book scheduled class
  • Certification:  2 year AHA certification card
  • Length: 2.5 to 3.0 hours
Heartsaver First Aid, CPR, AED course
 
  • Covers: CPR, AED use, Choking emergencies, and basic First Aid
  • Registration: Book scheduled class
  • Certification: 2 year AHA certification card
  • Length: 4.0 to 4.5 hours