I've read a few threads that have reminded me of something that I learned during my recent Red Cross first aid training:
Apparently if a child or adult is struggling with something in their mouth and seem to be choking it is NOT safe to thump them on the back. They said that this could actually make them choke on it. Save the thumping on the back until their breathing has been completely blocked and they are doing a silent kind of struggle.
The first thing to do is tilt them forward... if a child: then over your knee. Then if this fails to dislodge it then thump firm and hard between the shoulder blades so as to use any air in the lungs to push the obstruction upwards.
My instructor said that if a child can still get air in, even just a little bit to just leave them alone to cough it up. He gave the example of when he had to help a child choking on a small toy... he said that it came out when he tilted the child forward but if he had thumped then the piece could have actually been shaken down deeper into the throat.
I was surprised to hear that I had been doing the wrong thing all these years. It's such a reflex thing to thump a child's back if they are starting to choke on anything isn't it? But this is current official first aid training... hard to argue with I guess.
Last edited by Bathsheba; August 26th, 2009 at 01:01 PM.
THis is correct, i have always tilted head down before a tap between the shoulder blades.
i am super speed now... i bet the kids dont even realise why they are hanging this way lol!
Yeah I think thats part of the reason they tell people not to do the hymlick manouver anymore either, and I think that's what everyones first instinct is I guess. But it all changes.. CPR has TOTALLY changed since I did it.
I really enjoyed doing my course. It was the Senior Level 2 course. Our private health insurance company paid for it. It was done in the evenings for a month.
I just completed my L2 Senior First Aid cert only yesterday. I did 2 full days. I learnt a lot. It was for work, so they paid for it. I'm sure it'll come in handy at home too.
Also never put your fingers in their mouth to try and remove whatever is caught. My GF did this recently when her 2 yo DD was choking on a piece of sausage. Her DD wasn't breathing and she thought she could get it out, but when she put her fingers in, her DD clamped her jaw shut (which is common apparently). My GF's fingers were stuck in her mouth, getting very badly squashed. In the panic, my GF pulled her fingers out and pulled alot of skin off them. Ambulance arrived, her DD started breathing again, sausage must have moved down. DD went to hospital and thankfully had only very mild injuries. My poor GF ended up in hospital for 4 days and had microsurgery on the nerves in her fingers which were very badly damaged. She still had limited sensation in one of her fingers.
Geeze Mel! Yep, I read too that you should only sweep a mouth of a child if you can see the object... and I think it did say to do this for babies. But if a 2yo could do that! I'll think twice before putting my fingers in a child's mouth next time too!
My daughter had a very serious choking incident. She wasn't breathing, was unconscious and blue/purple turning white/grey and blotchy. I flogged her many times on her back (I don't remember how many) as I found her like this not actually struggling she was past that. Fortunately with the repeat flogging it unblocked slightly for some air to go down and she had a massive vomit then which cleared the melted, gooey, chunky chocolate out. It took her 30mins to actually breath normally. She had chest recession, wheezing and tracheal tug. I felt so mean as her back actually bruised but at least she is alive.
Lordy that's scary about the fingers. The one and only time my DD1 choked (ironically on a piece of soft pear) I was able to hook it out with a finger. Not sure I really wanted to wait until she stopped breathing to test the other stuff out...!
ETA right Emmy after that I'm properly scared now. All power to you, you did the right thing and thankfully it worked. Not going to read any more of this thread cos it's bringing out all the choking stories!!
My GF and her DH were both trying to prize open her mouth but it was locked shut and tight! She said she has never felt pain like it (and she has had 5 kids!!!) and there was nothing they could do to open it. Apparently it was an involuntary reflex, like lock jaw. But my fingers won't be going into my kids mouths after her telling me that!!!
DD1 had a choking incident with a piece of rockmelon at a 1st birthday party and my first instinct was to turn her upside down (like we do puppies to get them breathing) and swing her upside down and gave her a little thump in between the shoulders. It came out and then she had a huge vomit as well.... it was scary but I was glad my first instinct was to do what you are supposed to do.
I learnt the same when I did my first aid course about 12 years ago. I was 14 when I did it. Both times my DS choked on something were different & both times I had to do different things.
The first time it was a water bottle lid. It lodged in his throat & I tipped him almost upside down & thumped him & it came straight out. The second time was on a red frog lolly. First instinct told me to thump, but I knew not too. Not only was he just breathing, but it was sticky lolly. It wouldn't have helped. So this time I just held forwards him over my lap & called an ambulance, coz I had no idea how to get it out.
If they are coughing, don't thump.
ETA - a friend of mine told me about the fingers too. The muscles can go into spasm or something, making things worse.
Last edited by ~clover~; May 3rd, 2010 at 08:18 AM.
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Almost choking: don't hit on the back!
I just completed my L2 Senior First Aid cert only yesterday. I did 2 full days. I learnt a lot. It was for work, so they paid for it. I'm sure it'll come in handy at home too.
I'll think twice before putting my fingers in a child's mouth next time too!
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