Choking Choking occurs when the airway is partially or totally blocked by a swallowed object, i.e. when something goes down the windpipe rather than the food passage. The aim of treatment is to clear the blocked passage. THE CHOKING VICTIM WILL CLASP HIS NECK IN AN INSTINCTIVE ACT, WHICH IS NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE UNIVERSAL CHOKING SIGN. Act Quickly; speed is essential. Brain death can occur in 4-6 minutes. Treatment: Conscious Adult * Ask, "Are you choking?" If the victim can speak, cough or breathe, DO NOT INTERFERE - he is not choking. * If the victim cannot speak, cough or breathe, give upward abdominal thrusts. To do this, stand behind victim and wrap your arms round the waist. Grasp one fist with your other hand and place thumb side of your fist in the mid-line between waist and rib cage. Press fist into abdomen with 4 quick upward and inward thrusts. * Do not use abdominal thrust when dealing with a pregnant woman or over-weight victim. In these cases use chest thrusts - press on breastbone as in CPR. * Stand behind victim and place your arms under her armpits to encircle body. * Grasp one fist with the other hand, and place thumb side on the middle of the breastbone.Press with quick backward thrusts. * Repeat above sequence. Be persistent. Send for medical aid, call an Ambulance and continue treatment until help arrives. Self Help. The above technique can be used successfully if a person is choking and alone. Lean over a chair or railing as you act to help release obstruction. -------------------------- Unconscious Adult Establish unconsciousness. * "Call for Help". Get them to get an Ambulance, Now! Dial 911 in the US or your local emergency telephone number. * Open Airway and begin A of resuscitation procedure, * If unsuccessful deliver five abdominal thrusts. * Use finger probe in mouth to remove the dislodged foreign body. * If unsuccessful repeat these sequences. Be persistent. * Continue treatment until help arrives. ------------------------ Child (as for adults) If a child (1-8 years) is choking, proceed as for adult, depending on whether victim is conscious or unconscious. ------------------------ Infant (up to 1 year) If an infant is choking, turn infant face downwards supporting the body along your arm with hand supporting head and neck. * Ensure airway is open. * Deliver five back blows between the shoulders, then turn over and give five chest thrusts. * Remove object if visible. * Do not perform blind finger sweeps in infants and children. When obstruction is removed and infant is still not breathing and has no pulse start CPR. * Call help FAST see section on Resuscitation for Children. To prevent further complications, all cases of choking should receive medical inspection even if the first aid measure relieved the obstruction. ------------------ These files may be accessed through the web at http://firstaid.ie.eu.org/ I would like to thank the IEASR for allowing me to convert their pages over to the Pilot. Mary Jo Sminkey maryjo@dogpatch.org http://www.dogpatch.org ------------------ DISCLAIMER: Information in these files is presented in order to impart general information relating to first aid of various injuries and conditions. Such information is not complete and should not be used as a substitute for a consultation or visit with your physician or other health care provider, or as a substiture for actual training in first aid and/or CPR. While all reasonable care has been taken in compiling this information, Mary Jo Sminkey and Irish Emergency Ambulance Services Resource (IEASR) make no warranty as to the information's completeness, reliability or accuracy. Access to and use of the information contained herein is entirely at the risk of the user, Mary Jo Sminkey and IEASR shall not be liable, directly or indirectly to the user or any third party for any damage resulting from the use of the information contained or implied in the Pilot First Aid files.