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Choking - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

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Overview

  • Occurs when foreign object is lodged in windpipe
  • This blocks oxygen supply to brain 
  • In adults, choking occurs due to food
  • In children it also occurs on swallowing an object
  • Choking could be fatal, if first aid not given

Causes

  • Swallowing a large piece of food
  • Swallowing food that is not well chewed
  • Eating food quickly
  • Eating and talking
  • Consuming alcohol before a meal
  • Wearing dentures
  • Being careless about children
  • Walking / playing with food in mouth

Symptoms

  • Hands will grasp throat
  • Breathlessness
  • Noisy breathing
  • Inability to cough
  • Skin, nails and lips may turn blue
  • Loss of consciousness
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Treatment

  • Heimlich maneuver and CPR –2 techniques
  • If person is unable to talk, try Heimlich maneuver
  • Forces the diaphragm upto the lungs 
  • Creates an artificial cough

Heimlich Maneuver on a Standing Person

  • Stand behind the person
  • Form a fist with one hand
  • Place fist below ribcage, thumb inward
  • Hold the fist with other hand
  • Keep arms off ribcage
  • Give four inward and upward thrust
  • Repeat till the object is ejected
  • Same method is used for a child too

Heimlich Maneuver On an Unconscious Person

  • If person is lying down, straddle the person with your knees
  • Place heel of one hand above waistline
  • Place other hand over the first
  • Give four inward and upward thrust
  • Repeat till object is coughed out
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Heimlich Maneuver On an Infant 

  • Place your forearm over your raised knees
  • Place the infant face down over your fore arm
  • Give four blows using the heel of your hand
  • Repeat till object comes out
  • If it does not work, turn the baby 
  • Place two fingers an inch below the imaginary line connecting nipples
  • Give four thrusts forcefully to bring out the object
  • Repeat if required
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Prevention

  • While eating, concentrate on the task
  • Do not eat quickly, without chewing
  • Supervise children while they eat
  • Give easily chewable, soft food to children
  • Do not leave tiny objects within the reach of children
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