Choking
What are the warning signs?
If it looks like a person may be choking, some of the warning signs and symptoms include; panicked or distressed behaviour, and inability to talk in full sentences or at full volume, frantic coughing or unusual breathing sounds such as wheezing or whistling. They may also be clutching their throat, have watery eyes, or have a red face. If they have something completely blocking their airway then they will show all these symptoms, including desperate attempts to breath, before turning pale and than blue, due to a lack of oxygen, and finally they may collapse into unconsciousness. How to help the victim? If the person is conscious then the following first aid should be applied. The first step is to reassure the victim, encouraging them to breath and cough to dislodge the foreign object. If coughing does not remove the blockage then 000 must be called. Next, bend the person over well forward and hit them reasonably hard between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand to try and dislodge the object. It is important to check is the blockage has been removed after each blow. If this does not remove the foreign particle then give the person five chest thrusts by placing one hand in the middle of the back for support and the heel of the other hand on the lower part of the breastbone. Be certain to apply the correct amount of force according to the persons stature. If they are a baby, then apply less force than you would for a child and if they are a child, than apply less force than you would if they were an adult. If the person is or becomes unconscious from the choking, then the first step is to call 000. If there is any visible obstruction in the mouth it is important to remove the obstruction before proceeding. If the person is still not responsive then CPR must be commenced. Please refer to the CPR page for details. |