Hayley Gardyj, a mother of three from Melksham, UK, found herself in a terrifying situation when her eight-week-old son, Brodie, suddenly stopped breathing. Brodie, born prematurely and having spent six weeks in neonatal intensive care, was in the back of Hayley’s car when he let out a sharp, distressing cry. Hayley attempted to soothe him, but his condition worsened. He abruptly stopped crying and went limp. Recalling a pediatric first aid course she had taken years prior, Hayley rushed into a nearby veterinary practice and began performing CPR on her infant son. The harrowing moments that followed saw Hayley desperately administering rescue breaths and chest compressions, Brodie’s life hanging in the balance. With the help of a veterinarian, Hayley managed to revive Brodie’s heartbeat before emergency services arrived and transported him back to the Royal United Hospital in Bath. Doctors later determined that Brodie had suffered a collapsed lung stemming from a viral infection.
The traumatic experience spurred Hayley to advocate for increased awareness and accessibility of infant CPR training for parents. She believes that crucial, life-saving information should be readily available to all parents, especially during the critical newborn period. Hayley’s focus turned to the Personal Child Health Record (PCHR), often referred to as the “red book,” which is given to parents at their child’s birth to document health and developmental milestones. She noticed a glaring omission: the red book contained no information about infant CPR. This realization fueled Hayley’s campaign to include infant CPR guidance within the PCHR, potentially through the addition of a QR code linking to instructional videos.
Hayley’s campaign highlights the critical role of infant CPR training in empowering parents to respond effectively in emergency situations. Her advocacy stems from the deeply personal experience of saving her own child’s life through CPR, a skill she readily admits was rusty at the time. The incident underscores the importance of accessible and timely information for parents, especially considering the anxieties and vulnerabilities surrounding newborn care. Hayley’s push for inclusion of CPR guidance in the red book reflects her belief that this vital knowledge should be standard practice for all new parents.
The current content of the red book is overseen by a committee within the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. This committee reviews and approves changes based on user requests, policy updates, and design modifications. Hayley’s campaign has been brought to the attention of the committee chair for consideration. Her proposal suggests the inclusion of a QR code within the red book, which would direct parents to a resource like the British Red Cross infant CPR training video she participated in creating. This readily accessible format would provide parents with visual and practical guidance on how to perform CPR on an infant.
The video resource demonstrates the correct techniques for infant CPR, emphasizing the use of two fingers for chest compressions on a baby under one year old. It outlines the steps to take if a baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally, stressing the importance of immediately calling emergency services while simultaneously starting CPR. The instructions detail how to check for breathing, administer rescue breaths, and perform chest compressions, providing clear and concise guidance for parents in a crisis. The inclusion of such visual aids within readily accessible parental resources, like the red book, could significantly improve the chances of infants surviving life-threatening incidents.
Hayley’s relentless pursuit of broader infant CPR education stems from her conviction that all parents should be equipped with this life-saving skill. Her personal experience transformed into a powerful call to action, urging for a proactive approach to empowering parents. Hayley envisions a future where CPR training becomes a prerequisite for all new parents, ensuring that they possess the knowledge and confidence to act quickly and effectively should they face a similar emergency. Her campaign embodies the vital message that readily available infant CPR information can make a profound difference in the lives of children and their families.
