How can you tell if rescue breaths are effective?

The effectiveness of rescue breaths can be observed through the visible rise of the chest with each breath. This indicates that air is being delivered into the lungs, allowing for oxygenation. When chest rise is evident, it shows that the breaths are creating enough pressure to inflate the lungs adequately, which is essential for reviving someone who is not breathing effectively.

Other indicators may suggest improvement, such as increased activity or a child's return to a more normal skin color, but these are not as immediate or direct as the visible rise of the chest. While a child beginning to cry can suggest recovery, it may not necessarily be a reliable sign of effective rescue breaths at that moment. The primary and most direct assessment of effective ventilation during CPR is always the observable chest movement.