Choking First Aid
By Catherine Sheridan
Croí Centre for Lifesaving Training
Choking is a life-threatening emergency and must
be recognised and responded to as quickly as
possible.
Signs of severe choking:
♥ Sudden onset of distress
♥ Universal sign of choking – holding both hands
around front of the neck/throat
♥ Unable to cough effectively
♥ Unable to speak or breathe
♥ Possible bluish-purple colour around the lips
Action-Choking adult or child over 1 year old:
♥ Immediately confirm if the victim is choking by
asking them: ‘Are you choking?’
♥ Tell them you
are going to help.
♥ Stand closely
behind the victim
and wrap your
arms
around
their waist.
♥ Locate the
victim’s
bellybutton in
front; this helps
with correct positioning for your fist.
♥ Make a fist with your other hand, turn it and place
it thumb-side against the victim’s belly directly
above the bellybutton.
♥ Start delivering quick inward and upward thrusts
into the belly in order to create an upward force to
help remove the object.
♥ Continue to deliver thrusts as many times as is
necessary while the victim remains conscious.
This technique, known as the Heimlich Manoeuvre
must only be performed on a conscious choking
victim.
Action - Choking infant under 1 year old:
♥ A choking infant may appear pale with bluish lips
and cannot cry or breathe.
♥ Sit with the infant lying face-down along one of
your arms using your thigh as a support, and ensure
you support the infant’s head by placing your hand
underneath the
jaw.
♥ Keep the
infant’s
head
low.
♥ Using the heel
of your other
hand, begin to
deliver
sharp
back-slaps
between the infant’s shoulder blades 5 times.
♥ If this is unsuccessful, turn the infant over onto
his/her back along your opposite arm, supporting
the head.
♥ Using 2 fingers, place them side by side in the
centre of the infant’s chest and push downward 5
times.
♥ Continue to alternate between back-slaps and
chest thrusts until you successfully remove the
object and they can cry/breathe again.
This technique should only be used on a conscious
choking infant.
If these techniques are successful, you should see
the object eject forcefully from the victim’s mouth
and they can breathe/cough/speak again. It is
advised to have the victim checked over by a
healthcare provider.
Remember, if any choking victim loses
consciousness, becomes unresponsive and stops
breathing normally, you must call 999 or 112 for an
ambulance and begin to provide CPR until the
ambulance arrives or the victim shows definite
signs of life.
Croí Heart & Stroke Centre
Tel: 091 544310 Email: [email protected] Web: www.croi.ie