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CHOKING

MANAGEMENT
For Adult, Child, Infant
Choking
• Is a common breathing emergency
Common causes:
1. Trying to swallow large pieces of poorly
chewed food.
2. Drinking alcohol before or during meals.
3. Wearing dentures.
4. Eating while talking excitedly or laughing,
eating too fast.
5. Walking, playing, or running with food or
objects in mouth.
If a person is choking…
Clutching the throat is the
universally recognized
distress signal for choking.
A conscious person who is
choking has a partially
blocked or completely
blocked airway.
Partially blocked – wheezing
sound; can still breathe and
speak.
Completely blocked – can’t
speak nor breathe; high-
pitched noises
If a person is choking…
Encourage the victim to
cough forcefully.
- If the person continues to
cough without coughing
out the object, call for an
ambulance.
Heimlich Maneuver
- Quick & hard upward
thrusts to the choking
victims abdomen, just
above the navel.
If a person is choking…
Chest thrusts
- Just like abdominal
thrusts except for the
placement of your hands
(center of victim’s
breastbone).

- Applied to choking victims


who are too big to reach
around or to obviously
pregnant victims.
If you are alone & choking…
1. Give yourself abdominal
thrusts with your hands.
Or
2. Lean over and press
your abdomen against a
firm object (back of
chair, railing, kitchen
sink).
Note: Don’t use anything
with sharp edge or
corner.
When choking victim becomes
unconscious…
• Give 5 abdominal
thrusts. (Use heel of
hand).
• If victim is too big or
pregnant – give 5
chest thrusts. (1.5
inches deep)
Note: Both abdominal &
chest thrusts can
cause internal injuries.
(bring victim to
nearest hospital).
If an infant is choking…
To clear a blocked
airway, you will need
to repeat a series of
5 back blows and 5
chests thrusts.
1. Position the infant
facedown on your
forearm so that the
head is lower than
the chest. (support
the infant’s head)
If an infant is choking…
2. With your other
hand, strike the
infant between the
shoulder blades 5
times.

3. Turn the infant over,


place 2 or 3 fingers
in the center of the
breastbone & give 5
chest thrusts (1 inch
deep only).

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