Final answer:
Yes, the infant BLS procedure is different from that of older children and adults due to physiological differences such as airway size and strength of bones, requiring modified techniques for chest compressions and rescue breaths.
Step-by-step explanation:
The procedure for Basic Life Support (BLS) in infants is indeed different compared to children over the age of one year and adults. Due to physiological differences such as the size of the airway, the strength of bones, and the proportion of head to body size, infants require modified techniques. For example, the depth and technique of chest compressions vary with infants receiving more gentle compressions using two fingers instead of the heel of the hand, and at a slightly different location on the chest. Rescue breaths in infants should cover the mouth and nose, as opposed to just the mouth in older children and adults.
It is crucial to understand these differences to provide effective BLS to individuals across different age groups, particularly because the respiratory and circulatory systems of infants differ significantly from those of older children and adults. For instance, immediately after birth, the infant's first breath is essential in triggering the closing of cardiac shunts and altering the blood circulation pattern from fetal to postnatal. The newborn's physiology is designed to adapt to this sudden change; however, resuscitation, in this case, might require specialized knowledge due to these physiological differences.
Understanding the transition in the circulatory system at birth is crucial when performing BLS on a newborn. The first breath a newborn takes after delivery inflates the lungs and changes the circulatory system by closing the before-mentioned cardiac shunts that directed blood during fetal life.