Choking Emergencies

If you are without Oxygen this is what will happen:

• 4-6 minutes-possible brain damage• 6-10 minutes-brain damage is likely• Over 10 minutes-irreversible brain

damage

What can cause an airway obstruction?

Signs of choking

• Coughing forcefully

• Clutching throat

• Making high pitch noises

• Bluish skin color

• Trouble breathing

• Shortness/gasping of breath

• Panic/fear

Conscious choking techniques

• Check scene

• Check victim Are you ok?

• Call 911

• Say who you are, level of training, what care you would like to give and ask for permission to help. IF THEY SAY YES-

• Put arm across their chest and have them lean forward-perform 5 back blows

• If object does not come out

• Find the navel, put hand above navel and put other hand over it-perform 5 abdominal thrusts.

• Continue performing back blows and abdominal thrusts until: object comes out, person goes unconscious, person can cough forcefully or breathe, YOU are too tired to continue, or EMS arrives.

Exceptions-give chest thrusts instead

(Place fist in center of breastbone)

1. Person is pregnant

2. Can’t get your

Hands around person

(obese)

If you are alone and choking

• Try to perform abdominal thrusts on yourself by using

• your hands

• A chair

• A counter

• A edge of sink

Conscious choking techniques for child

• Same as adult except: ask permission from adult/guardian-IF YES

• Go on knees so you are on the same level as the child-perform back blows & abdominal thrusts

Choking techniques for infant• You MUST support the head and neck

when performing both skills. Must support BODY of Infant on your leg.

CAUSES of Airway obstruction

• Object in airway• Electrocution• Shock• Drowning• Illness• Asthma or emphysema• Allergy• Overdose on drugs• Contact with toxic substances

Respiratory distress-(Most common breathing emergency)difficulty with

breathing

• Sign and symptoms-gasping, shallow or deep breaths, wheezing, gurgling, high pitched sounds, pale or blue skin,

• dizzy/ lightheaded and pain in chest.

Asthma• Narrow the air passage and makes

breathing difficult.• Very serious for children ages 10-14

death can occur.• Causes-allergies to: food,

pollen,drugs,bites or physical activity.• What are the signs and symptoms?• Treatment-Medications

Emphysema-Lungs and alveoli lose ability to exchange oxygen

and carbon dioxide.

• Bronchitis-inflammation of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles due to a build up of mucus.

Anaphylactic shock-severe allergic reaction

• What things are people allergic to?

Signs and symptoms of respiratory distress in children

• Agitation

• Slow or fast breathing

• Drowsiness

• Noisy breathing

• Pale, ashen or blue skin

• Increase in heart and breathing rates

• Difficulty breathing

Hyperventilation -breathing faster than normal

Cause-fear, head injury, bleeding, high fever, heart failure, lung disease, asthma and exercise.

Signs and symptoms-fear, confusion, dizzy and numb.

Treatment-reassurance, paper bag, cupped hands and controlled breathing (in through nose and out through mouth).

Unconscious choking techniquesfor the adult

• Check the scene• Check the victim-are you okay? Shoulder tap• Call 911• Head tilt/chin lift• Look, listen and feel for 10 seconds• Give 2 breaths (breaths don’t go in)• Retilt the head and give 2 more breaths• ( breaths still do not go in)• Give 30 compressions-at least 2 inches• Look for object- Finger sweep if you see it• 2 breaths Until what???????

Unconscious choking child• Check the scene• Check the victim-are you okay? Shoulder tap• Call 911• Ask for permission from parent• Head tilt/chin lift• Look, listen and feel for 10 seconds• Give 2 breaths (breaths don’t go in)• Retilt the head and give 2 more breaths• ( breaths still do not go in)• Give 30 compressions-less effort about 2 inches• Look for object-Finger sweep if you see it• 2 breaths Until what???????

Unconscious choking infant• Check the scene• Check the victim-are you okay? Foot flick• Call 911• Ask permission from parent/guardian• Head tilt/chin lift• Look, listen and feel for 10 seconds• Give 2 breaths (breaths don’t go in)• Retilt the head and give 2 more breaths• ( breaths still do not go in)• Give 30 compressions-1 ½ inches deep(Hold head with one hand)• Look for object -Finger sweep if you see it• 2 breaths Until what???????