Introduction
Parents should be aware of the dangers of choking but also know how to respond if their child gets food or a toy stuck in his throat. Choking is a serious medical condition that requires immediate action. In this article, we'll discuss what parents need to know about choking and provide some tips on how to handle an emergency situation when it arises.
Clearly, choking is a major concern for parents.
Choking is a major concern for parents. It's important to prevent choking and know how to treat it if it happens.
Choking can happen at any age, but babies are particularly at risk because they put things in their mouths and don't have the ability to tell you when something is lodged in there. Older children and teenagers may also choke on food or toys if they're playing with them while eating or not paying attention, so this article will cover both young children as well as adults (adults can also get stuck on food).
Anyone who thinks someone else might be choking should always call 911 immediately; paramedics will arrive quickly and be able to assess the situation from there. If you're ever having trouble breathing after eating something--or even just having trouble swallowing--call 911 immediately!
Before you begin the first aid process, check to see if the object is still in the person's throat.
Before you begin the first aid process, check to see if the object is still in the person's throat. If it has fallen out, you can start your first aid treatment. If not, call 911 immediately and then begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) until medical help arrives.
If there is no pulse or breathing when you check on your child after he has choked on something, begin CPR immediately while waiting for paramedics at home or at school/daycare:
- Open his airway by tilting his head back slightly and lifting up his chin with one hand; place fingers of another hand just below jawbone on each side of face; tilt head back even further as though looking up at the ceiling; pinch nose shut between thumb and forefinger; give two quick breaths into nostrils--each breath should fill lungs half full; wait for 1 second after each breath before giving another one--this gives time for lungs to expand fully during exhalation phase when oxygen travels from lungs into the bloodstream through the pulmonary artery which carries blood throughout the body via arterial capillaries surrounding pulmonary veins that return it back into right atrium where the heart pumps blood out through main artery connecting left ventricle with every organ except brain itself.
Choking on food or object may cause the throat to swell or block the airway.
- Swelling of the throat can block the airway.
- If an object is stuck in your child's throat, do not try to remove it with your fingers or by pushing on his abdomen.
- If your child becomes unconscious and it appears that there is no air passing through his nostrils, begin CPR immediately.
If the airway is blocked and oxygen flow has been cut off, immediate action is required.
If your child is choking and you can't clear the object, call 911. If you know what the object is, call poison control for help. Explain the situation as calmly as possible (for example: "My daughter ate a piece of candy and she's been coughing ever since"). Keep your child's head lower than her chest until help arrives--this will help keep air flowing into her lungs so that she can breathe easier.
Gently tap or pat the person on his back until the object comes out or he coughs forcefully. Never try to remove anything stuck in a person's throat with your fingers or by pushing on his abdomen. The object could push further into his throat and cause more damage.
Gently tap or pat the person on his back until the object comes out or he coughs forcefully. Never try to remove anything stuck in a person's throat with your fingers or by pushing on his abdomen. The object could push further into his throat and cause more damage.
If back blows don't work, abdominal thrusts may help dislodge food or other objects that are stuck in a person's mouth and block their airway. With one hand, position yourself behind the person (so that you're facing away from him), wrap your other arm around his abdomen (right above his navel), and make a fist with that hand
Use several different methods until you locate and remove the object from your child's mouth or throat.
- Use your fingers to sweep the mouth and throat.
- If you can't remove the object with your fingers, try using a spoon.
- If you still cannot remove it with a spoon, try using bread or wet cloth (such as gauze).
- If these methods fail to dislodge the object from your child's airway, try using forceps or a laryngoscope--but only if there is no other way out of this situation!
If your child becomes unconscious and it appears that there is no air passing through his nostrils, begin CPR immediately by giving chest compressions followed by rescue breaths (30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths). Continue CPR until help arrives or until your child begins breathing again on her own (about five minutes).
If your child becomes unconscious and it appears that there is no air passing through his nostrils, begin CPR immediately by giving chest compressions followed by rescue breaths (30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths). Continue CPR until help arrives or until your child begins breathing again on her own (about five minutes).
If the object becomes dislodged before the child recovers consciousness, allow him to cough it up or remove it with his fingers if necessary. If he is still not breathing after you have successfully removed an obstruction from his throat or mouth, continue giving back blows until he starts coughing forcefully and clearing mucus from his airway; then give abdominal thrusts until vomiting occurs, which will clear any remaining foreign objects from his throat or lungs.
If you suspect that something is blocking a child's airway, call 911 immediately so that paramedics can take over if necessary
If you suspect that something is blocking a child's airway, call 911 immediately so that paramedics can take over if necessary. Do not give the child anything to drink or eat. Do not try to remove the object with your fingers--this could push it farther into their throat and cause more damage. Instead, try gently rubbing their back and/or chest until help arrives: this may help dislodge whatever is blocking them (but don't force them). If they start coughing after this point, then they might be able to get rid of whatever was causing the problem on their own!
Conclusion
Choking is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death if not treated quickly. If your child has an object stuck in his throat and is unable to breathe or speak, call 911 immediately so that paramedics can take over if necessary. If you suspect that something is blocking a child's airway, call 911 immediately so that paramedics can take over if necessary
