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Sunday, September 6, 2009

What Everybody Ought to Know About Choking Children

Ever been there when a child is choking? Time stands still, and within a split second, several questions shoot across your mind: Oh my god, is she choking? What do I do? Is she going to die?

Children up to the age of 6 are at high risk of choking, with babies under 2 at the highest risk. A child with a fully obstructed airway for more than 4 minutes will experience brain damage or death. An ambulance is likely to take at least 10 minutes to arrive.

If a child is choking, assess the situation quickly and calmly. A child may be choking if she is unable to cry, cough or speak, and may make odd noises or no sound at all while opening her mouth. Her skin may even turn bright red or blue.

If she is coughing or gagging, her airway may only be partially blocked, and hopefully the situation will resolve itself as coughing is the most effective way to dislodge a blockage. Otherwise, one person will have to call an ambulance immediately, while another person gives first aid. If you're alone with a choking child, administer 2 minutes of first aid and then call an ambulance.

For a choking infant less than a year old, try and clear the airway with a series of back blows and chest thrusts. For a child older than a year, the method is back blows and abdominal thrusts.

It's highly advisable to spend a few hours on a child first aid course. Should the need arise, you will be able to act calmly and efficiently, and your actions will have been well-rehearsed. In an emergency situation, it's normal to panic, complicating even the simplest of tasks, and even more so when you're spending precious time trying to recall a set of instructions you read of the internet.

As always, prevention is better than cure. Make sure young children are constantly supervised when eating/drinking, and seated upright when eating solid foods. Be on the lookout for high risk foods and objects, ranging from rocks and pieces of wool to peanut butter and hard candies.

Have you any experience with choking in children? Please share your thoughts!


by Mark Lim

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