A CHILD choking is a parent’s worst nightmare, so it’s not surprising if you panic or your mind goes blank in the moment.
But there’s a vital first aid step you might forgetting about in the moment that have warned could be vital for saving your little one’ s life.
Tiny Hearts Education You should be checking if you’ve cleared the object out of your tot’s airway after every blow or thrust[/caption]
Tiny Hearts Education Back blows can cause tissue or organ damage because they need to be firm[/caption]
Tiny Hearts Education You should start CPR immediately if your child becomes unresponsive[/caption]
Nikki Jurcutz – a former paramedic behind baby and child first aid platform Tiny Hearts Education – said that if you start administering back blows or chest thrusts on your tot, you need to be checking if whatever is blocking their airway has cleared after each blow or thrust.
This is important for two reasons, the first aider shared in a recent post.
Firstly, checking your child’s airway after every blow will ensure you’re not causing them unnecessary tissue or organ damage.
As Nikki has previously shared, back blows need to be pretty firm in order to work.
They could even leave bruises on your tot’s skin – but “saving your child’s life is the priority over a bruised back,” she stressed.
Nikki wrote: “I wanted to remind you, if you are at the point of needing to use back blows, it means your child is not getting any oxygen into their lungs.”
Though it’s important that your back blows are forceful enough to dislodge whatever is blocking your tot’s airway, you don’t want to be giving them when it’s no longer needed, the paramedic wrote in her recent post.
If you see the object if cleared, you should stop administering them.
Signs your baby is choking
There are a few signs to look out for to tell if your baby is choking.
According to St John Ambulance, a choking baby may:
be unable to breathe, cry, or cough
have a red puffy face
show signs of distress
But a child might:
have difficulty breathing, speaking or coughing
have a red puffy face
show signs of distress and they may point to their throat or grasp their neck
The second reason you should be checking on your child after each blow or thrust is so you can see if they become unconscious.
First aid guidelines state you should switch from back blows and start administering CPR immediately if your little one loses consciousness.
“The sooner you realise your child is unconscious and needs CPR, the sooner you can start CPR,” Nikki said.
“The sooner you can start CPR, the better the outcomes for your baby.”
How will I know if the object is cleared?
The paramedic had a few tips for knowing if the object blocking your child’s airway is no longer there.
Firstly, check if they are able to breathe after each back blow or chest thrust.
You should also be checking if you can see the object in your little one’s mouth.
If you saw the object come out of their mouth completely, that’s another sign you can stop administering back blows.
What should I do if my child chokes?
It’s a parents worst nightmare to imagine a situation in which they have to save their child from choking.
But in that moment, it may be you that will have to step up and perform first aid.
The NHS says if you can see an object lodged in your child’s mouth, take care to remove it because blindly poking at it could make things worse.
If the child is coughing, encourage them to continue as they may be able to bring the object up – don’t leave them.
If the coughing isn’t effective (it is silent or they cannot breathe properly), shout for help immediately.
If the child is still conscious, use back blows.
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
4. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help if the object does not dislodge
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until help arrives Start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive (unconscious) Read More