I recently discussed potential choking hazards and how parents can prevent their child from choking by feeding their child age-appropriate foods and removing potentially dangerous non-food items.
But no matter how vigilant you are there is always the potential for your child to choke. Recently a waiter, who is currently training to be a firefighter, saved the life of a young girl who was choking on a crayon at the restaurant where he worked. The mother started panicking and screaming that her child was choking. Matt Miller ran over and stuck his finger in the child’s mouth and used a swiping motion to try and clear out the object that was stuck. He removed the object but the child began to vomit. The mother was holding the baby with his head back causing the baby to choke again – this time on his vomit. So Matt took the baby and turned him face down until the vomiting stopped. So he not only saved the child once but twice. He didn’t get the name of the parents, but commented that the baby was fine. Now local people are calling him a hero and he doesn’t even have his firefighter’s badge yet.
Experts recommend trying to first remove the item that is choking a child with a finger. When you are trying to remove the item it is important that you start on one side of the child’s mouth and swipe across with a hooked finger to the other side. Poking your finger down the child’s throat will lodge the item further in the windpipe.
If the object can’t be dislodged with a finger and your child is not breathing and cannot speak you should do the Heimlich Maneuver.
Follow these steps when giving the Heimlich Maneuver to an adult or older child.
1. From behind, wrap your arms around the victim’s waist.
2. Follow the victim’s last rib with your fingers and find the end point of the sternum. Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist against the victim’s upper abdomen, just below this point and above the naval. If you are too high the sternum could penetrate a lung.
3. Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into their upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Do not squeeze the ribcage; confine the force of the thrust to your hands.
4. Repeat the thrusts until the object is expelled.
For infants the procedure is a little different. Follow these steps to help a child under the age of two.
1. Lay the child down, face up, on a firm surface then kneel or stand at the victim’s feet. If the child is small enough hold the infant on your lap facing away from you.
2. Place the middle and index fingers of both your hands below the rib cage and above the naval. Make sure you feel for the tip of the sternum bone before thrusting.
3. Press into the victim’s upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust, do not squeeze the ribcage.
4. Be gentle. Don’t press to hard. The pressure should be up not down on the baby’s organs.
5. Repeat the thrusts until the object is expelled.
Note: Don’t ever slap the victim’s back. If a child is coughing and choking let them cough. If the victim stops breathing then perform the Heimlich Maneuver.
Knowing this information could be the difference between life and death for your child.
See these related blogs:
Parents Beware The Hidden Danger In Some Kids Toys
Danger! Foods For Your Baby to Avoid
Toy Cars Recalled for Choking Hazard