Youngsters will be gobbling up more candy than usual now that Halloween is nearly here. Their enthusiasm to try as many different varieties can sometimes lead to choking. With this in mind, here is how to handle this type of frightening problem and save someone from choking. Though you may think this type of problem is hardly likely to happen, there is always a first time. Thus, it pays to be prepared to prevent a possible disaster.
As hard as it may be, try your best not to panic when finding yourself in a situation with someone that is choking. You need to remain as calm as possible for the choking victim’s sake. Instead, you need to get that someone to try coughing up what is lodged in the throat. If that person is unable to talk or is making high-pitched noises, gagging or can barely cough, then have someone call 911 without delay and then leap to the choking victim’s rescue.
The first thing you want to do in case of a child is to kneel to the side and slightly behind him or her. If in the case of an adult, then stand at the person’s side instead to position yourself. Now position an arm across their chest and bend them over at the waist before delivering a firm hit between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Repeat these back blows about five times.
You next move should be trying to give that choking someone some abdominal thrusts to help it. The best place is standing behind the person. Now hold your arms around their waist, form a fist with one hand just below the chest above the belly button before using your other hand to grab your fist to pull inwards and upwards against the breastbone employing five thrusts to push the object out.
Rotate the thrusts with back blows until you make progress with the person that is choking.
There might be an occasion when you find no one is around and you are choking. Try not to let your excited emotions take over. Call 911 and the operator will walk you through the proper steps to take before the emergency medical team can arrive. You also lean over a chair to help exert enough pressure to force the object from the abdomen or giving yourself some thrusts to your chest.
The best thing you can do for yourself, family, friends, co-workers to strangers are taking a class on CPR at the Red Cross. After a few hours of training, you can become certified and put in a better position to handle choking emergencies.
