Choking is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when an object becomes lodged in a person's airway, obstructing their ability to breathe. As a leading provider of health and safety education, MyCPR NOW emphasizes the importance of knowing how to treat choking to provide immediate and effective assistance. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the steps to treat choking in adults, children, and infants to ensure prompt intervention and potentially save lives.
I. Recognizing Choking
1. Signs of Choking: The common signs of choking include clutching the throat, difficulty breathing, inability to speak or cough, and a distressed facial expression.
2. Confirming Airway Obstruction: If a person is unable to speak, ask them if they are choking. If they nod or indicate yes, it confirms airway obstruction.
II. Treatment for Conscious Adults and Children
1. Encourage Coughing: If the person can cough forcefully, encourage them to do so to try and dislodge the object.
2. Perform Back Blows: Stand behind the person, slightly to the side, and give five back blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.
3. Abdominal Thrusts (Heimlich Maneuver): If back blows do not dislodge the object, stand behind the person, wrap your arms around their waist, and perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver). Place a fist above the navel and below the ribcage, then grasp your fist with your other hand and perform quick inward and upward thrusts.
4. Continue Cycles: Alternate between five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unconscious.
III. Treatment for Unconscious Adults and Children
1. Lower to the Ground: If the person becomes unconscious, carefully lower them to the ground while keeping their head and neck supported.
2. Activate Emergency Response: Call for emergency medical help immediately or instruct someone nearby to call for assistance.
3. Begin CPR: Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the person remains unresponsive and is not breathing.
IV. Treatment for Infants (Aged 1 Year and Under)
1. Position Infant: Sit or kneel, supporting the infant's head and neck, and place them face-down along your forearm with their head lower than their body.
2. Perform Back Blows: Give five back blows using the heel of your hand between the infant's shoulder blades.
3. Chest Thrusts: If back blows do not dislodge the object, turn the infant face-up on your forearm, keeping their head lower than their body, and perform five chest thrusts using two fingers on the center of the infant's chest.
4. Continue Cycles: Alternate between five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unconscious.
V. Conclusion
MyCPR NOW stresses the critical importance of knowing how to treat choking to provide immediate and life-saving assistance to individuals in distress. Prompt recognition of choking, appropriate treatment techniques, and activating emergency medical help can significantly improve the chances of successful intervention. Remember, stay calm and take quick action when faced with a choking emergency, as your timely response can make a crucial difference in saving lives. By being prepared and knowledgeable, you can play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of those experiencing choking episodes.
