First Aid for Choking
Introduction:
Choking occurs when a foreign object is lodged in the throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of air. In adults, a piece of food often is the culprit, while young children often swallow small objects.
Symptoms:
- Hands clutched to the throat.
- Inability to talk.
- Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing.
- Squeaky sounds when trying to breathe.
- Coughing, which may either be mild or severe.
- Skin, lips and nails turning blue.
- Loss of consciousness.
First aid:
- If the person is still able to breathe normally, then they should keep coughing.
- If the person is choking and is unable to talk, cry or laugh forcefully, then the following should be done:
- Stand behind the choking person.
- Place one foot slightly in front of the other for balance.
- Wrap your arms around the person's waist.
- Tip the person forward slightly.
- Make a fist with one hand and position it slightly above the person's navel.
- Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust.
- Perform between 6 and 10 abdominal thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
However, if the choking person becomes unconscious, perform standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with chest compressions and rescue breathing.
For further information: