Choking - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

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

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

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

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