Child First Aid: How to save a choking child
Duw 1012: Occupational Safety & Health
Step 2: Try to dislodge the object with back blows and abdominal thrusts.
i) First do back blows:
If a child is conscious but can't cough, talk, or breathe, or is beginning to turn blue, stand or kneel slightly behind him. Provide support by placing one arm diagonally across his chest and lean him forward. Firmly strike the child between the shoulder blades with the heel of your other hand. Each back blow should be a separate and distinct attempt to dislodge the obstruction.
Case Study 1: First Aid And Accident Prevention
Four-year old boy chokes to death on fishball
1. First aid treatment for child in case of choking:
Step 1: Assess the situation quickly
- If the child is unable to cry,cough or speak, something must be blocking their airway. In this case you need to help them immediately
- If the child still cannot breath, call 911.
Step 1: Assess the situation quickly
- If the child is unable to cry,cough or speak, something must be blocking their airway. In this case you need to help them immediately
- If the child still cannot breath, call 911.
Step 2: Try to dislodge the object with back blows and abdominal thrusts.
i) First do back blows:
If a child is conscious but can't cough, talk, or breathe, or is beginning to turn blue, stand or kneel slightly behind him. Provide support by placing one arm diagonally across his chest and lean him forward. Firmly strike the child between the shoulder blades with the heel of your other hand. Each back blow should be a separate and distinct attempt to dislodge the obstruction.
Give five of these back blows.
ii) Do abdominal thrusts:
Stand with one foot in front of the other, or kneel behind the child, and wrap your arms around his waist.
Locate his belly button with one or two fingers. Make a fist with the other hand and place the thumb side against the middle of the child's abdomen, just above the navel and well below the lower tip of his breastbone.
Step 3: Repeat the steps until the object is forced out
2. How to prevent child from choking:
- Sit while eating. Your child is more likely to choke if he eats while running around or playing, so sitting at a table or even on the floor will reduce the risk. If you sit with your child while he eats, and talk or entertain him, he’ll be less tempted to get up and run around.
- Keep food pieces small. Until your child can chew well, give her food in pieces smaller than a pea. Anything bigger than this is hard for little children to eat safely. This is because their airways are small, and they’re still learning to chew and swallow properly.
- Cook, grate or mash hard foods, particularly hard fruit and vegetables like carrots and apples.
- Avoid nuts. Children can usually eat these safely at around three years of age, unless they have an allergy. Corn chips, lollies and grapes can also be choking risks.
- Try to keep small objects out of reach.Curiosity leads children to put unusual things into their mouths. Check the floor for small objects by getting down to child height and looking around.
- Use toys that are solid and sturdy, and avoid toys with small parts, breakable parts or brittle surfaces. Check toys for exposed stuffing and loose screws and buttons.
- Keep toys for small children and older siblings in separate boxes. Encourage older siblings to keep their little toys out of reach. This might include Lego, doll clothes, beads, car parts and so on.
Good article! We all know that there is a wide array of hazards lurking around our home. This is why it is important to learn first aid, so that you’ll know what to do once an accident occured to our children. If you want to learn more, read this blog
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