First Aid for Choking

Choking first aid:

Free breathing needs to be restored within four minutes or brain damage could result. As a person will most likely die if breathing is not restored within 8 minutes or less, so there is rarely time to wait for help to arrive. Immediate first aid techniques need to be administered to clear the airway as quickly as possible.

Signs of a choking victim:

1. The signs of choking can sometimes be confused with a heart attack but you can see someone is choking because they will be unable to speak.

2. If something is blocking their airway but they are coughing or speaking - that means they can breathe and you should not interfere with their own efforts to clear their throat.

3. If a victim is seriously choking they will become pale and turn a bluish in color. They might perspire and even collapse. In this case, life saving techniques need to be administered immediately

Choking occurs when a object becomes lodged in the throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of air. A piece of food is often the culprit. Young children often swallow small objects.

If the person doesn’t give a signal then look for these indications:

1. inability to talk

2. difficulty breathing or noisy breathing

3. Inability to cough forcefully.

4. Skin, nails, and lips turning blue or dusky.

5. Losses consciousness.

We should always be careful with small babies because they can pick up and swallow objects which may cause them to choke. To help them you should turn them around and close their nose then tap them on the back. The danger signs of true choking are:

1. Inability to cry or make much sound.

2. weak,ineffective coughing

3. soft or high pitched sounds while inhaling

4. difficulty breathing

5. Loss of consciousness if blockage is not cleared.

Avoid toys with small parts and keep other small household items out of reach from infants and young children. A person who is choking will instinctively grab at the throat. The person also may panic, gasp for breath, turn blue or lose consciousness.