It is very sad to read stories where children have died as a result of choking. On 4th February 2017 it was reported that a child had sadly died as a result of choking during a dinner break at a School in Hull.
Boy chokes to death at Hull school during dinner break
There was also another story that hit the national news of a child who died as a result of choking on a grape in Pizza Hut.
Hartlepool toddler Jacob Jenkins dies after choking on grape
We have now trained thousands of people on how to deal with the nightmare situation, and we thought we would put a short article together, to ensure everyone knows how to deal with a choking child or adult.
How to clear a choking casualties airway…
- If the casualty is old enough, try and encourage them to cough. (I have taught my niece to cough, from the age of 12 months. This is all a bit of fun, but could make a big difference if the worst happens.)
- Carry out up to 5 firm back blows as shown in the image below. A bruise on the back is a better outcome than not clearing the airway for fear of other injuries. The casualty could quickly become unconscious if the obstruction is not cleared.
- Carry out up to 5 abdominal thrusts. Making a fist with your hand, place this on the casualties stomach reaching around them from the back. Place your other hand on top of this, and pull in and up sharply. This could cause some internal injuries, but we again, these are not something that we can be concerned about until the airway is clear. If it is a child, get them checked by a medical professional after carrying out abdominal thrusts for peace of mind.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3. Back blows and abdominal thrusts, until the item has cleared, or the casualty has become unresponsive.
- If the casualty is unresponsive, call 999 and carry out CPR.
The above is basic advice to help should a casualty start to choke. It is not a replacement for hands on first aid training, and we would encourage anyway who wants to save a life, and increase survival rates from choking to attend a first aid course.
If you would like to find a local course in your area, please contact us, and we would be happy to help.
