Choking
Choking occurs when foreign material, such as food, guild or a small toy, obstructs the airway in or above the windpipe. Obstructions can partially or completely block an airway and are a life-threatening emergency.
The signs and symptoms of an airway obstruction will depend on the cause and severity of the condition.
Airway obstructions can be gradual or sudden in onset and lead to a complete obstruction within a few seconds, so close monitoring of the causality's condition is essential.
If the chocking casualty is conscious, there may be extreme anxiety, agitation, coughing, gasping sounds or loss of voice. These signs and symptoms may progress to the causality exhibiting the universal chocking sign.
A partial obstruction of the airways can be recognised by:
Infants, children and young adults may also display some specific additional signs of breathing distress such as:
A complete obstruction of the airway can be recognised by:
Whether the causality can cough effectively or not determines how sever the airway obstruction is.
If the casualty has an effective cough then they are likely to have a mild airway obstruction. When treating a mild airway obstruction, encourage the casualty to keep coughing in attempt to expel the foreign material. If the obstruction is not relieved, the call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
If the casualty does not have an effective cough they have a severe airway obstruction. Call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
If the casualty with a severe airway obstruction is conscious, give up to five sharp back blows with the heel of your hand in the middle of their back between the shoulder blades. Remember to check after each back blow to see if the foreign body has been removed.
If the back blows are unsuccessful at removing the airway obstruction and the causally is still conscious, the perform five chest thrusts.
To give chest thrusts, identify tha same compression point on the sternum as you would when doing CPR, and give five chest thrusts. Chest thrusts are similar to chest compressions, and are given sharper and at a slower rate. Remember to check after each back blow to see if the foreign body has been removed.
If the obstruction is not removed after five chest thrusts and the causality is still conscious, keep alternating between giving five back blows and five chest trusts.
If the casualty is unconscious attempt to clear visible solid material from their airway with finger sweeps. Call triple zero (000) and then commence CPR.
The treatment for an infant or small child with an airway obstruction is the same as an adult with the following exceptions:
The signs and symptoms of an airway obstruction will depend on the cause and severity of the condition.
Airway obstructions can be gradual or sudden in onset and lead to a complete obstruction within a few seconds, so close monitoring of the causality's condition is essential.
If the chocking casualty is conscious, there may be extreme anxiety, agitation, coughing, gasping sounds or loss of voice. These signs and symptoms may progress to the causality exhibiting the universal chocking sign.
A partial obstruction of the airways can be recognised by:
- Breathing that may be noisy
- Laboured breathing
- Some escape of air felt from the mouth
Infants, children and young adults may also display some specific additional signs of breathing distress such as:
- In-drawing of the soft tissues above the breast bone and between the ribs
- Flaring of the nostrils
A complete obstruction of the airway can be recognised by:
- Some breathing effort
- No sounds of breathing
- No escape of air from the mount and/or nose
Whether the causality can cough effectively or not determines how sever the airway obstruction is.
If the casualty has an effective cough then they are likely to have a mild airway obstruction. When treating a mild airway obstruction, encourage the casualty to keep coughing in attempt to expel the foreign material. If the obstruction is not relieved, the call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
If the casualty does not have an effective cough they have a severe airway obstruction. Call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
If the casualty with a severe airway obstruction is conscious, give up to five sharp back blows with the heel of your hand in the middle of their back between the shoulder blades. Remember to check after each back blow to see if the foreign body has been removed.
If the back blows are unsuccessful at removing the airway obstruction and the causally is still conscious, the perform five chest thrusts.
To give chest thrusts, identify tha same compression point on the sternum as you would when doing CPR, and give five chest thrusts. Chest thrusts are similar to chest compressions, and are given sharper and at a slower rate. Remember to check after each back blow to see if the foreign body has been removed.
If the obstruction is not removed after five chest thrusts and the causality is still conscious, keep alternating between giving five back blows and five chest trusts.
If the casualty is unconscious attempt to clear visible solid material from their airway with finger sweeps. Call triple zero (000) and then commence CPR.
The treatment for an infant or small child with an airway obstruction is the same as an adult with the following exceptions:
- When administering back blows, lay the infant or small child across your lap with their head below their chest in a downwards facing position, prior to delivering the back blows
- When administering chest thrusts, lay the infant on their back across your lap with their head pointing downwards
- Remember to stop after each back blow and chest thrust to check if the foreign body has been removed