A PARAMDEIC has issued a stark warning to parents about the dangers of choking in young children by sharing a disturbing image.
The picture, posted to Instagram by first aid organisation Tiny Hearts Education, shows half a peanut lodged in a three-year-old’s throat.
InstagramThe nut appears to be stuck in the infants windpipe which would have stopped them from breathing[/caption]
The nut appears to be stuck in the infants windpipe – the tube that connects the voice box to the lungs – which resulted in their death.
Tiny Hearts founder and paramedic Nikki Jurcutz said: “This is not an easy image to look at, I know.
“But it is an important reminder about the reality of choking in little ones.”
She added: “Little ones don’t have their full set of teeth and a mature chew yet, which is why I’ve made it a rule for my own family, no whole nuts for a child under five.”
The Australian-based first-aid educator had previously revealed the best ways to reduce your child’s risk of choking.
Nikki wrote: “Choking is silent. You could be standing on the opposite side of the room with your back turned, and your bub could be choking.
“Unless they thrash about or somehow get your attention, you might not even notice.”
These are:
1. No food in the car
Nikki said: “We eat before we leave and after we arrive.
“That’s because if I’m driving down the highway and one of them chokes, I can’t stop quickly to deliver life-saving back blows and chest thrusts.
“To be honest, I may be so focused on the road that I might not even notice, particularly because Wolfie is still rear-facing.”
2. Eat at the table
Nikki said: “If your bub is up and running around or lying down while eating, they are more likely to choke.
“It also means I can easily have my eyes on them at all times because they’re not hiding in a cupboard somewhere while eating.”
3. Sit with the child
Nikki said either her or her partner is always with the kids when they are eating, “distraction free”, meaning no phones or TV.
“You need to be watching them constantly and paying attention to keep them safe,” she said.
Nikki said this is why she won’t let her children eat in the car, because she is not able to watch them.
4. Safe foods only
Some foods are more of a risk for youngsters than others.
“There’s well known choking hazards, particularly for kids under five, such as whole nuts, hard fruits and veggies, marshmallows and popcorn,” said Nikki.
It’s advised not to give small children foods in a circular shape or small lumps.
Instead, slice foods or make them into sticks.
5. Modify, substitute or distract
Nikki said if one of her kids asks her or her partner for food they do not think is safe to share, they have a strategy of “modify, substitute or distract”.
She said: “Modify: such as boiling or grating.
“Substitute such as swapping popcorn for baby corn puffs.
“Or distract them with something else and delay introducing it to them until they are older and developmentally more capable of chewing and swallowing.”
What to do if your child chokes
First aiders at St John Ambulance give the following advice based on the child’s age.
Baby
Slap it out:
Lay the baby face down along your thigh and support their head
Give five back blows between their shoulder blades
Turn them over and check their mouth each time
2. Squeeze it out:
Turn the baby over, face upwards, supported along your thigh
Put two fingers in the centre of their chest just below the nipple line; push downwards to give up to five sharp chest thrusts
Check the mouth each time
3. If the item does not dislodge, call 999 or 112 for emergency help
Take the baby with you to call
Repeat the steps 1 and 2 until help arrives
Start CPR if the baby becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
Child
1. Cough it out
Encourage the casualty to keep coughing, if they can
2. Slap it out
Lean them forwards, supporting them with one hand
Give five sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
Check their mouth each time but do not put your fingers in their mouth
3. Squeeze it out
Stand behind them with your arms around their waist, with one clenched fist between their belly button and the bottom of their chest
Grasp the fist in the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, giving up to five abdominal thrusts
Check their mouth each time