BLS, Section 9, Choking Relief for Adults, Children, and Infants

How do you relieve choking in a responsive infant?

- Knee or sit with infant in lap and if easy to do, remove clothing on infant's chest - Hold infant face down with head little lower than chest, resting on forearm; support head and jaw with your hand; avoid crowding infant's throat; rest forearm on lap or thigh to support infant - Deliver 5 back slaps between infant's shoulder blades using heel of hands - After 5 back slaps, pace free hand on infant's back and support infants head with palm - Turn infant while carefully supporting head and neck face up; Keep infant's head lower than the trunk - Provide 5 downward chest thrusts in the middle of the chest, over lower half of breastbone (same location as for chest compressions during CPR); deliver at rate of 1 per second - Repeat sequence of up to 5 back slaps and chest thrusts until the object is removed or infant becomes unresponsive

How do you relieve choking in an unresponsive adult or child?

- Shout for help and activate ERS - Lower victim to ground if they become unresponsive - Begin CPR; do not check for a pulse - Each time you open airway to give breaths, open victim's mouth wide to look for object; if you see it and it can easily be removed, remove it; if you see no object, continue CPR - After 5 cycles/2 min. CPR, activate ERS if no one has done so

How do you relieve choking in an infant who is unresponsive?

- Shout for help and activate ERS; Place infant on firm, flat surface - Begin CPR with extra step; everytime you open airway look for object in back of throat; if you see it and can easily remove it, remove it; do not check for pulse before beginning CPR - After 2 minutes of CPR, activate ERS if no one has done so

How you perform the Heimlich Maneuver on a responsive adult or child that is standing or sitting?

- Stand or kneel behind victim and wrap arms around waist - Make fist with one hand - Place thumb side of fist against victim's abdomen, slightly above navel and well below breastbone - Grasp fist with other hand and press into victim's abdomen with quick, forceful upward thrust - Repeat until obstruction is expelled from victim or victim becomes unresponsive - Give each new thrust distinctive movement to relieve obstruction

What technique can you use to relieve an adult or child's choking?

Heimlich manuever (abdominal thrusts)

What are signs and actions rescuers should take for mild and severe airway obstructions?

Mild Airway Obstruction Signs: Good air exchange, can produce forceful cough, may wheeze between coughs Rescuer Actions: Encourage person to continue coughing, but monitor condition. If it becomes severe, activate ERS Severe Airway Obstruction Signs: Universal choking sign, can't speak or cry, poor/no air exchange, weak cough or none at all, high-pitched noise while inhaling or no noise at all, increased respiratory, cyanosis Rescuer Actions: If victim is adult or child, ask if they're choking and if they nod "yes", a severe airway obstruction is present; relieve obstruction immediately; if victim becomes unresponsive, begin CPR; if not alone send someone to activate ERS but if you are alone provide CPR for two minutes and then activate ERS

What should you do if a choking victim is obese or pregnant?

Perform chest thrusts

How should you treat unresponsive victim after they have been relieved of their choking hazard? What should you do if they become responsive?

Treat them as a regular unresponsive victim (pulse and breathing, CPR, rescue breathing, etc.) If they become responsive, encourage them to seek medical attention immediately, as complications from abdominal thrusts can occur

How can you tell if you have removed an airway obstruction in an unresponsive victim?

You can feel air movement and see chest rise when giving breaths or see and remove a foreign body from the victim's mouth

Why should you not perform a blind finger sweep?

You could push foreign body further into airway, causing further obstruction or injury