How to Respond to a Choking Emergency

If someone is choking and cannot speak or breathe, it can be a very frightening experience. In this blog post, we will describe the three methods that are most commonly used to respond to a choking emergency: the Heimlich Maneuver, Tongue-Jaw Lift, and CPR. We will also explain how to administer these techniques to children and adults.

Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich Maneuver is the most common method used to respond to a choking emergency. The Heimlich Maneuver is performed by standing behind the person who is choking and wrapping your arms around their waist. Make a fist and place it just above the person's navel, then thrust your fist inward and upward. You should perform this action repeatedly until the object is dislodged.

Tongue-Jaw Lift

If the person is choking and cannot speak or breathe, you can also use the Tongue-Jaw Lift to help them breathe. The Tongue-Jaw Lift is performed by opening the victim's mouth, with your thumb held over her tongue, and your fingers wrapped around the lower jaw; as this draws the tongue away from the back of the throat, you may be able to clear the airway. If you can see the foreign object, try removing it with a sideways sweep of a finger; use this approach carefully, however, since it could push the object even farther down the airway, causing further blockage.

CPR

If a person is not responding to the Heimlich Maneuver or Tongue-Jaw Lift, you can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)CPR. Use CPR when an adult is not breathing or when they are only gasping occasionally, and when they are not responding to questions or taps on the shoulder. In children and infants, use CPR when they are not breathing normally and not responding.

Check that the area is safe, then perform the following basic CPR steps:

1. Call 911 or ask someone else to.
2. Lay the person on their back and open their airway.
3. Check for breathing. If they are not breathing, start CPR.
4. Perform 30 chest compressions.
5. Perform two rescue breaths.
6. Repeat until an ambulance or automated external defibrillator (AED) arrives.

The American Heart Association recommends having a song in mind if and when you need to perform CPR because it'll help you maintain a steady rhythm of 100 to 120 BPM (beats per minute). What's the most popular CPR anthem used today? The Bee Gees 1977 song, 'Stayin Alive'.

And while the rhythm is very important, so is the quality of the compressions. Performing CPR is hard work, especially if you have to do it for a long period of time. If you start to get tired and think that your compressions are becoming too shallow, ask for relief from someone nearby who can jump in and help until EMS arrives.

It is important to remember that these techniques should only be used in a choking emergency. If you are not sure whether someone is choking, always call 911 and seek professional help. These techniques can be dangerous if they are performed incorrectly. Please take the time to research each method before attempting to administer them to a choking victim.

We hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your continued support!

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.