First Aid For Choking

Recently Answered

• QHow common is choking on food in children?

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  A Dr. Nina L. Shapiro, MD , Ear, Nose & Throat (Otolaryngology), answered on behalf of UCLA Health

  Choking on food sends more than 10,000 children to emergency rooms each year. While most of these choking events are not fatal, one child dies every five days from an accident related to food choking. Toys are labeled for safety, but if you go to the grocery store and buy baby carrots, which you think are healthy for your toddler, you may not realize they put your child at significant risk for choking.
• QHow do I give abdominal thrusts to a child who is choking?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Stand or kneel behind the child and wrap your arms around his or her waist. 

  Locate the navel with one or two fingers of one hand. Make a fist with the other hand and place the thumb side against the middle of the child’s abdomen, just above the navel and well below the lower tip of the breastbone.

  Grab your fist with your other hand and give quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen.

• QWhat can I do if I start choking?

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  A Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine answered

  If you are concerned you are choking, attempt to take a breath, talk, or cough. If you are able to do so, you are likely not choking completely, and the food may pass within a few minutes. If you are unable to take a breath, talk, or cough, and you are around people who can help you, you should motionto your throat with both hands to indicate that you are choking and cannot breathe. If you are by yourself and you are choking, you can attempt to dislodge the stuck food by placing your fist to your stomach just above your navel, and placing your other hand over your fist, and forcefully thrusting your fist inward and upward. You can also perform the same maneuver by leaning over a chair or table and letting the weight of your body push down on the surface you are leaning over.
• QWhat should I do if someone is choking?

  2 Answers

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Choking is a common breathing emergency. It occurs when the person’s airway is partially or completely blocked. 

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• QHow does a person choke?

  1 Answer

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  

  A person chokes when food gets stuck in the trachea. Learn more in this video with Dr. Oz. 
  
  
  

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  How Does a Person Choke?
  Buy DVD
• QWhat are signs that a child is choking?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  

  These include:
  

  • Coughing, either forcefully or weakly
  • Clutching the throat with one or both hands 
    
  • An inability to cough, speak, cry or breathe 
  • Making high-pitched noises while inhaling, or noisy breathing
  • Panic 
  • Bluish skin color 
  • Losing consciousness

  
• QWhat is the main cause of choking in children?

  1 Answer

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Food is responsible for most choking incidents in children.
  
  Small, non-food items such as safety pins, small parts from toys and coins also cause choking.
  
• QWhen should I call 9-1-1 if someone is choking?

  1 Answer

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  A American Red Cross answered

  If a person continues to cough without dislodging the object, have someone call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately while you give care.
  
  A partially blocked airway quickly can become completely blocked.
  
• QHow do I give care to an unconscious adult who is choking?

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  A American Red Cross answered

  

  AFTER CHECKING THE SCENE AND THE INJURED OR ILL PERSON:
  
  1: GIVE A RESCUE BREATH
  Retilt the head and give another rescue breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  2: GIVE 30 CHEST COMPRESSIONS
  If the chest still does not rise, give 30 chest compressions.
  
  TIP: The person must be on firm, flat surface. Remove the CPR breathing barrier when giving chest compressions.
  
  
  
  
  
  3: LOOK FOR AND REMOVE OBJECT IF SEEN
  
  
  
  
  
  4: GIVE 2 RESCUE BREATHS
  
  5: WHAT TO DO NEXT
  

  • IF BREATHS DO NOT MAKE THE CHEST RISE—Repeat steps 2 through 4. 
  • IF CHEST CLEARLY RISES—CHECK for breathing. Give CARE based on the conditions found. 

  
  Do not stop except in one of these situations:
  

  • The object is removed and the chest clearly rises with rescue breaths.
  • The person starts to breathe on his or her own.
  • Another trained responder or EMS personnel take over.
  • You are too exhausted to continue.
  • The scene becomes unsafe.

  
  

  
• QHow do I give chest compressions to an unconscious choking adult?

  1 Answer

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  A American Red Cross answered

  

  Locate the correct hand position for chest compressions. Use the same technique that is used for CPR.
  

  • Give chest compressions. Compress an adult’s chest 30 times to a depth of at least 2 inches. 
    
  • Compress at a rate of at least 100 chest compressions per minute; the 30 chest compressions should take about 18 seconds to complete.