Immediate First Aid to Save a Life
Understanding the Urgency: Choking is an immediate and silent medical emergency. When a child’s airway is blocked, they can’t breathe, and every second counts. Knowing the difference between a cough and true choking, and applying the correct first aid technique, is the most important skill a parent or caregiver can have.
Immediate First Aid: The “Assess, Back Blow, Chest Thrust” Rule
The first few minutes are critical. Your primary goal is to assess the situation and dislodge the object quickly.
- Assess the Situation: Is the Child Truly Choking?
- If they are coughing forcefully, crying, or can speak, they are NOT choking. The airway is only partially blocked. Encourage them to keep coughing, and do not hit their back.
- If they cannot cough, cry, or breathe, or are making a high-pitched sound while trying to breathe, they are choking. Act immediately.
- For an Infant (Under 1 Year Old):
- Hold the infant face-down on your forearm, with their head lower than their chest.
- Give 5 firm back blows between their shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.
- Flip the infant face-up on your forearm, supporting their head and neck.
- Give 5 quick chest thrusts in the center of their chest, just below the nipple line.
- Repeat the cycle of 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or help arrives.
- For a Child (Over 1 Year Old):
- Stand behind the child and wrap your arms around their waist.
- Make a fist with one hand and place it just above the navel (belly button).
- Place your other hand on top of your fist.
- Perform 5 quick abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver) by pulling inward and upward, as if you are trying to lift the child.
- Repeat the thrusts until the object is dislodged or help arrives.
Critical “Do Nots” in a Choking Emergency:
- DO NOT perform the Heimlich maneuver on an infant under 1 year old.
- DO NOT perform a blind finger sweep inside the child’s mouth, as you could push the object further down their throat.
- DO NOT leave the child alone to go call for help.
- DO NOT try to make the child drink water.
When to Call Veer Emergency Care IMMEDIATELY:
- Call IMMEDIATELY if the child becomes unresponsive or unconscious.
- Call if you cannot dislodge the object and the child is still choking.
- Call if the child is turning blue or has stopped breathing.
Remember: A choking child needs immediate intervention. The techniques above are critical. After performing the first aid, call Veer Emergency Care for expert guidance and to dispatch an ambulance to your location in Bangalore.