If your child suddenly started to choke, would you know what to do? Learn the tell-tale signs and what you can do.
Do you the know the signs of choking? If your child were to start choking, would you be able to help? If your child becomes unable to talk, is gasping for breath, trying to grab at his throat and turning blue, he apparently has something lodged in his throat and is choking. Before you try any rescuing on your own, immediately call an ambulance in case your methods prove unsuccessful. Chances are they will want to examine the child and administer oxygen to make the child stable after such an ordeal. This will also set your mind at ease, knowing your child is alright.
If he is coughing and making noise, this is a good sign, so let him bring up the object himself. If you try and help and reach in his throat, chances are you can make matters worse and force the object back in and lodge it permanently.
If your have an infant or small child, and that child has the other signs of choking, you will wwant to use back blows. Place the child face down across your lap with the head lower than the rest of the body. Grab the child's chin with one hand and firmly slap the child's back between the shoulder blades four times.
If this fails, take the child and place them face up across your leg, keeping the head lower than the body. Support his neck and head with one hand. If this is a newborn, you will want to use two fingertips, if an older child use your hand just above the stomach area and push in and up four times rapidly. Keep doing this until the object is dislodged.
If your child is too big to lift or put on your lap or leg, you need to use the Heimlich manuever. Stand behind your child, making sure you are around the child's waist. Make a fist with one hand and place the other hand over that fist. Now push your fist in and upward for four times, one at a time.
If your child is unconscious, you will need to lay the child on the floor on their back. Place your hand on the child's abdomen and placing the other hand over your hand on the child already, press upon the abdomen four times. This should release the object that is obstructing the airway.
In either case, keep doing these life saving procedures until the ambulance arrives. Make sure you tell them immediately what caused the child to choke upon their arrival so that proper treatment can be administered.
