Here’s How You And Your Family Can Avoid Tragedy If Someone Starts Choking
The tragic news of a 5-year-old boy who passed away on Christmas eve after choking on food a few days before has sent a timely reminder about the very real dangers of choking on something you are eating.
In the holiday season, we might be too busy stuffing our faces to realise that a single piece of food or incorrect action from our part could lead to a blockage and tragedy.
And when it comes to children, the problems are magnified even more.
That is why it’s important to keep some points in mind when enjoying that New Year’s Day buffet with your entire family.
How to avoid choking in children
Use small pieces of food
For small children, bites of food shouldn’t be anything larger than the size of a pea. Anything bigger than this is hard for little children to eat safely. This is because their airways are small, and they’re still learning to chew and swallow properly.
Sit while eating
if your child is running around while eating they are much more likely to choke on something. Try to play a game with them, or put on their favourite cartoon, to help them stay in place.
Mash up harder foods
Especially hard fruit and vegetables like carrots and apples.
Avoid nuts
Children can usually eat these safely at around three years of age, unless they have an allergy. Crisps, candies and fruits like grapes can also be choking risks.
Keep small thing like toys out of reach
Children are curious, and love to put new toys or items in their mouth to learn more about them.
Be extra careful around children with an illness or disabilities
The child’s condition might put the child at higher risk of choking than other children.
How to avoid choking in adults
Don’t drink while eating
Be it alcohol, soft drinks or water, this increases your chance of choking.
Don’t talk while you eat.
When you eat and talk your body doesn’t know whether it should be keeping your windpipe open or not.
Don’t eat lying down.
Eating while lying down could lead to food going down the wrong pipes easier.
Eat slowly
Eating isn’t a race, so there’s no need for you to stuff yourself.
Don’t stuff your plate
Finish what you have, and then get up and go for a second helping
Don’t serve very thin liquids to the elderly
Believe it or not, some fluids, like water are so thin that the elderly can choke on it. Some nursing homes even use thickening agents to make water more viscous and harder to choke on.
What to do if someone near you is choking
Encourage them to cough if it is mild choking
If the airway is only partly blocked, coughing should be enough to remove the blockage themselves. Do not use your fingers to remove the blockage. If that doesn’t work…
Back blows and abdominal thrusts
Where choking is severe, the person will not be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe. Without help, they will eventually become unconscious. Get someone to call an ambulance while you stand behind the person and slightly to one side. Support their chest with one hand. Lean the person forward so that the object blocking their airway will come out of their mouth, rather than moving further down.
Five sharp blows between the person’s shoulder blades
Use the heel of your hand.
Five abdominal thrusts
Stand behind the person, wrap your arms around the waist, and bend them well forward. Place your clenched fist just above the person’s belly button. Grab your fist with your other hand. Quickly thrust both hands inward and upward. Repeat in cycles until the object is coughed up or the person starts to breathe or cough. Take the object out of his mouth only if you can see it.
If the person is obese or pregnant, use high abdominal thrusts.
Stand behind the person, wrap your arms around them and position your hands at the base of the breast bone. Quickly pull inward and upward. Repeat until the object is dislodged.
Give CPR if necessary
Start chest compressions. It is best to be trained in the correct procedure, which anyone can learn in a simple First Aid Course.
Tag a friend who needs to know this.
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