A new study shows that when Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is started within five minutes after a child’s heart stops, the child is almost twice as likely to survive.

What is cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood. When this happens, the brain, lungs, and other organs don’t get the oxygen they need. CPR helps push blood through the body until the heart can start again.

CPR for kids includes 30 fast chest pushes—about 100 to 120 pushes each minute—followed by two rescue breaths.

For adults, starting CPR within 10 minutes helps. For children, the best time window has not been clear—until now.

What the study found

“If a child’s heart stops, you must act fast,” said Dr. Mohammad Abdel Jawad, the lead researcher. “Starting CPR right away can almost double their chance of living.”

The study looked at more than 10,000 children who had a cardiac arrest outside the hospital. Researchers checked how the timing of CPR affected survival and brain function.

How CPR timing affected survival

For children who received CPR from a lay rescuer (a family member, friend, or bystander), survival changed based on how fast CPR started:

• Within 1 minute: survival increased 91%

• Within 2–3 minutes: survival increased 98%

• Within 4–5 minutes: survival increased 37%

But survival dropped if CPR started later:

• 6–7 minutes: survival went down 24%

• 8–9 minutes: survival went down 33%

• 10+ minutes: survival went down 41%

The same pattern happened with brain health—faster CPR meant better brain function.

Researchers were surprised by how fast the benefit dropped after five minutes, especially since adults still benefit up to around nine minutes.

Why people hesitate

Many people are afraid they might hurt a child by doing CPR. But the study shows that waiting is far more dangerous.

Dr. Jawad said more parents, teachers, coaches, and community members need to feel confident starting CPR right away.

More details about the study

• Data came from the CARES registry, which covers over half of the U.S. population.

• 10,991 children had a cardiac arrest outside the hospital.

• About half (5,446) received CPR from a bystander.

• The typical time to start CPR was 3 minutes.

• About 15% survived to hospital discharge.

• Nearly 13% had good brain function afterward.

• Outcomes were best when CPR started within 5 minutes.

One limitation: CPR timing was based on 911 call data, which may not always be exact.

Why this matters

According to the American Heart Association:

• 9 out of 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside a hospital die.

• Many die because CPR isn’t started soon enough.

• CPR that starts right away can double or even triple survival.

Experts say this study proves that every second counts—especially for children.

The American Heart Association hopes to double survival rates by 2030 through its Nation of Lifesavers movement, which encourages more people to learn CPR.

So learn CPR and save lives, including maybe that of a child.