Question

Scenario 1: You are working as a waitress in a restaurant. You go to check on your table to see how their food is. As you are walking up to the table, one of the customers begins coughing. They suddenly stop coughing and start clutching their throat. Their lips begin to turn a bluish color and the family around the table begins to panic. You are first aid certified and want to help the victim. (1) What are the initial steps you would take in this situation? (2) Describe in detail how you would help the victim.

Scenario Continued: As you are giving care to the choking victim, they become unresponsive and you determine that they no longer have a pulse. (1) Describe in detail how you would now care for the individual with the new information.

Scenario 2: You are at a family get-together when your aunt starts screaming for help. You run over to your aunt to see her holding her 8-month old baby. She tells you that the baby is choking on a toy from one of the older children and she needs help. She hands you the conscious baby and you notice her lips are turning blue. (1) What are the initial steps you would take in this situation? (2) Explain in detail how you would care for the choking infant.

Scenario Continued: While you are caring for the infant, she becomes unconscious and she no longer has a pulse. (1) With this new information how would your care change? (2) Explain the new steps of care in detail.

Answer 1

THE MANAGEMENT OF CHOCKING IN A CONSCIOUS VICTIM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE BOTH IN COMMUNITY AND IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE ASPIRATION OF STOMACH CONTENTS OR BLOOD MAY OCCUR.

CHOCKING OCCURS WHEN A FOREIGN OBJECT LODGES IN THE THROAT OR WIND PIPE,BLOCKING THE FLOW OF AIR.

THE UNIVERSAL SIGN FOR CHOKING IS: HANDS CLUTCHED TO THE THROAT

IF THE PERSON IS ABLE TO COUGH FORCEFULLY ,THE PERSON SHOULD KEEP COUGHING

IF THE PERSON CHOKING AND CANNOT TALK ,CRY OR LAUGH FORCEFULLY FIVE AND FIVE  APPROACH TO DELIVERING FIRST AID .

GIVE 5 BACK BLOWS= STAND TO THE SIDE AND JUST BEHIND A CHOCKING ADULT, PLACE ONE ARM ACROSS THE PERSONS CHEST FOR SUPPORT.BEND THE PERSON OVER AT THE WAIST SO THAT THE UPPER BODY IS  PARALLEL WITH THE GROUND. DELIVER FIVE SEPARATE BACK BLOWS BETWEEN THE PERSONS SHOULDER BLADES WITH HEEL OF YOUR HAND.

GIVE 5 ABDOMINAL THRUSTS.=PERFORM FIVE ABDOMINAL THRUSTS( ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER)

ALTERNATE BETWEEN 5 BLOWS AND 5 THRUSTS UNTILL THE BLOCKAGE IS DISLODGED.

TO PERFORM ABDOMINAL THRUSTS:

>STAND BEHIND THE PERSON=PLACE ONE FOOT SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE OTHER FOR BALANCE.WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND THE WAIST.TIP THE PERSON FORWARD SLIGHTLY.

>MAKE A FIST WITH ONE HAND= POSITION IT SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE PERSONS NAVEL.

>GRASP THE FIST WITH THE OTHER HAND=PRESS HARD INTO THE ABDOMEN WITH A QUICK,UPWARD THRUST-AS IF TRYING TO LIFT THE PERSON UP.

>PERFORM BETWEEN 6 AND 10 ABDOMINAL THRUSTS= UNTIL THE BLOCKAGE IS DISLODGED.

note:if you are alone ,perform back blows and abdominal thrusts before caliing 911 or local emergency number for help.if another person is available ,have that person call for help

2;IF THE PERSON BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS ,PERFORM STANDARD CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION ( CPR) WITH CHEST COMPRESSIONS AND RESCUE BREATHS

TO CLEAR THE AIRWAY OF AN UNCONSCIOUS PERSON;

-LOWER THE PERSON=ON HIS OR HER BACK ONTO THE FLOOR ,ARMS TO THE SIDE

-CLEAR THE AIRWAY=IF A BLOCKAGE IS VISIBLE AT THE BACK OF THE THROAT OR HIGH IN THE THROAT,REACH A FINGER O=NTO THE MOUTH AND SWEEP OUT THE CAUSE OF THE BLOCKAGE.DONT TRY A FINGER SWEEP IF YOU ARE CANNOT SEE THE OBJECT.

-BEGIN CPR= IF THE OBJECT REMAINS LODGED AND THE PERSON DOESNOT RESPOND AFTER YOU TAKE THE ABOVE MEASURES.THE CHEST COMPRESSIONS USED IN CPR MAY DISLODGE THE OBJECT.

IF THE OBJECT IS REMOVED BUT PERSON HAS NO PULSE ,BEGIN CPR WITH CHEST COMPRESSIONS .IF YOU DONOT SEE AN OBJECT ,GIVE TWO OR MORE RESCUE BREATHS. ..

note:remember to recheck the mouth periodically

3.FOR INFANTS

-DO NOT PERFORM THESE STEPS IF THE INFANT IS COUGHING OR HAS STRONG CRY

=LAY THE INFANT FACE DOWN ,ALONG YOUR FOREARM .USE YOUR THIGH OR LAP FOR SUPPORT .HOLD THE INFANTS CHEST IN YOUR HAND AND JAW WITH YOUR FINGERS .POINT THE INFANTS HEAD DOWNWARD,LOWER THAN THE BODY

=GIVE UP TO 5 QUICK ,FORCEFUL BLOWS BETWEEN THE INFANTS SHOULDER BLADES .USE THE HEEL OF YOUR FREE HAND.

4.TO CLEAR THE AIRWAY OF A CHOCKING INFANT YPUNGER THAN 1 AGE /UNCONSCIOUS

=ASSUME A SEATED POSITION AND HOLD THE INFANT FACEDOWN ON YOUR FOREARM

whch is resting on your thigh,support the infants head and neck with your hand,place the head lower the trunk

=THUMP THE INFANT GENTLY BUT FIRMLY

5 times on the middle of the back using the heel of your hand.the combination of gravity and the back blows should release the blocking object.keep your fingers pointed up to avoid hitting the infant in the back of the head

=TURN THE INFANT FACEUP ON YOUR FOREARM

resting on your thigh with the head lower thsn the trunk if the infant still is not breathing .using 2 fingers placed at the center of the infant breastbone,give 5 quick chest compressions.press down about 1 and half inches,and let the chest rise again in between each compression.

=REPEAT THE BACK BLOWS AND CHEST THRUSTS

if breathing doesnot resume,call emergency medical help

=BEGIN INFANT CPR

if one of these techniques opens the airway but the infant doesnot resume breathing

NOTE:A LONE RESCUER USES A COMPRESSION TO VENTILATION RATIO OF 30;2

FOR A 2 RESCUER INFANT CPR,ONE PROVIDER SHOULD PERFORM CHEST COMPRESSIONS WHILE THE OTHER KEEPS THE AIRWAY OPEN AND PERFORMS VENILATIONS AT A RATIO OF 15:2