What is the depth target for pediatric chest compressions?

• A. About half of the chest depth
• B. About one-third of the chest depth (roughly 5 cm)
• C. Two inches
• D. One centimeter

Answer: (B)

The depth you aim for in pediatric chest compressions is about one-third of the chest’s front-to-back depth. This proportional target balances enough pressure to drive blood flow with minimizing injury in a child’s smaller chest. In practical terms, that usually means roughly 5 cm (about 2 inches) of chest wall collapse for many children. The idea is to scale with chest size, so infants get slightly less (around 4 cm) while older children approach that one-third rule. Compressing about half the chest depth would be too deep and risk injury, and compressions that are too shallow (around a centimeter) wouldn’t generate adequate perfusion.