Choking
Choking happens when something blocks your airway, making it hard or impossible to breathe. The airway is the path air takes to get into your lungs, and if it is blocked, you might not get enough air. This can be very scary and dangerous. Choking can happen to people of all ages but is especially common in young children and older adults.
When someone chokes, it means that food, a small toy, or another object is stuck in their throat or windpipe. This stops air from reaching their lungs. Without air, the body’s organs cannot get oxygen, and this can cause serious harm or even death if the blockage is not cleared quickly.
Choking is an emergency. If you see someone choking, it is important to act fast and calmly. Helping someone who is choking can save their life.
What Happens When Someone Chokes?
Inside your throat is a tube called the windpipe or trachea. When you breathe, air passes through this tube into your lungs. When you swallow, food or drink goes down a different tube to your stomach. Sometimes, food or an object can get stuck in the windpipe instead of going down the right way. This causes choking.
If the object blocks the airway completely, the person cannot breathe or speak. If the blockage is partial, they may cough or have trouble breathing but can still get some air.
Signs Someone is Choking
You might notice several signs that someone is choking. These include:
– The person is coughing hard or making a high-pitched sound when trying to breathe.
– They are clutching their throat with their hands. This is called the choking sign.
– They cannot speak, talk, or make sounds.
– Their face may look red or turn blue, especially around the lips and fingertips.
– They look panicked, frightened, or scared.
– If the blockage is complete, the person may become unconscious.
All of these signs mean the person needs help right away.
What to Do if Someone is Choking
If you see someone choking, you must act quickly. Your goal is to help clear the object from their airway so they can breathe again. It is important to stay calm so you can help without causing more harm.
First, encourage the person to cough if they can. Coughing is the body’s way of trying to push the object out. If they can cough forcefully or breathe, encourage them to keep coughing.
If coughing does not clear the blockage, and the person cannot breathe, speak, or is grabbing their throat, the blockage is likely complete. In this case, you need to act to help clear the airway.
When someone is choking badly, they will not be able to call for help themselves. Call 000 immediately if the person cannot breathe or becomes unconscious. Getting medical help fast is very important.
Helping Someone Who is Choking
In first aid, the main job is to clear the airway so the person can breathe again. This is done by using special back blows and abdominal thrusts. These methods use pressure to try and force the object out.
Back blows are firm slaps on the back between the shoulder blades. This can help shake the object loose.
Abdominal thrusts are gentle but firm pushes into the belly just above the stomach. This pressure helps push air out of the lungs fast, which can push the object out of the airway.
If the person becomes unconscious, you should carefully lower them to the ground and start providing basic life support if you know how. Make sure emergency services are on the way.
Safety Tips When Helping Someone Choke
Be careful when helping someone who is choking. While you want to act quickly, do not hit them too hard or push too hard on their stomach. This could cause injury.
Always ask the person if they need help before you act. If they can still cough or speak, encourage them to keep coughing.
Avoid putting your fingers into the person’s mouth to try to remove the object unless you can clearly see the object and can easily reach it. Pushing fingers inside the mouth can push the object further down, making things worse.
If you are not sure what to do, call 000 for emergency help right away.
Why is Knowing About Choking Important?
Choking can happen at any time, and knowing what to do can save lives. Many choking events happen while eating. Foods like hard candies, nuts, and small pieces of meat can cause choking, especially in children.
Small toys, coins, and other objects can also cause choking, especially for small children who put many things in their mouths.
By understanding choking and how to respond, you can help someone in an emergency before medical help arrives.
When to Call Emergency Services (000)
Call 000 immediately if:
– The person cannot breathe, talk, or cough.
– They become unconscious or stop responding.
– They have a serious breathing problem, such as turning blue around the lips or face.
– You are worried about their condition.
Emergency services will send trained paramedics who can provide further care.
Preventing Choking
Prevention is very important. Here are some simple ways to help prevent choking:
– Cut food into small, manageable pieces, especially for children and older adults.
– Avoid giving young children hard or small foods like whole nuts or hard candy.
– Keep small objects like coins, buttons, or small toys out of reach of young children.
– Make sure children are supervised when eating or playing with small objects.
– Remind people to eat slowly, chew well, and sit down while eating.
– Avoid walking, running, or playing while eating.
What to Remember About Choking
Choking is when something blocks the airway and stops air from reaching the lungs.
It is an emergency and needs fast action to clear the blockage.
Signs of choking include coughing, clutching the throat, difficulty speaking, and turning blue.
Encourage coughing if the person can still cough.
If they cannot breathe or speak, back blows and abdominal thrusts can help clear the blockage.
Call 000 if the person cannot breathe, becomes unconscious, or if you need help.
Stay calm, act quickly, and keep the person safe until help arrives.
Knowing about choking and how to respond can save lives. Always be careful and do not panic. If you are unsure, call emergency services for advice.
Remember that anyone can choke, so learning what to do is useful for everyone. Helping someone who is choking is an important first aid skill that can make a big difference in an emergency.