1 Encourage coughing
2Give abdominal thrusts
3Check mouth
22 FIRST AID
Choking( adults and children)
An obstruction of the airway, usually caused by food or a foreign object, can result in choking. The aim of first-aid treatment for choking is to dislodge the object as quickly as possible. This involves encouraging the victim to cough, then, if necessary, using thrusts. If the obstruction is not removed, the victim will stop breathing and lose consciousness.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
• Coughing, difficulty in breathing and talking
• Signs of distress, including holding the throat
• Red face and neck, later turning gray-blue
TREATING CHOKING( adults and children over 7)
1 Encourage coughing
• Ask the victim to cough. This may dislodge whatever is blocking the victim’ s windpipe.
• Check a child’ s mouth to see if anything has been dislodged.
Encourage victim to cough
! Important
• If the victim becomes unconscious, open the airway, check breathing, and
be prepared to begin resuscitation( pp. 12 – 20).
• If the victim is pregnant or obese, or you cannot reach around the victim’ s
abdomen, give chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts. Position your fist in the middle of the victim’ s chest, grab your fist with the other hand, and pull sharply inward up to five times.
2Give abdominal thrusts
• If the victim is becoming weak, or stops breathing or coughing, carry
out abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the victim and put both arms around the upper part of the abdomen. Make sure he is bending forward.
• Clench your fist and place it( thumb inward)
between the navel and the bottom of the breastbone. Grasp your fist with your other hand. Pull sharply inward and upward up to five times.
3Check mouth
• Check his mouth. If the obstruction is still not cleared, repeat steps 2 and 3 up to three times, checking his mouth after each step.
• If the obstruction still has not cleared, Dial 911 or call EMS. Continue until help arrives or the victim becomes unconscious.