Save your child from choking

Recognise the signs of choking and act fast with these important steps.

It’s amazing how your toddler gets more curious and independent every day. He just loves to explore his environment, and can’t help touching and mouthing things.

Which is why you have to be extra vigilant. “Young children under the age of three are at increased risk of choking,” advises Dr Leo Deng Jin of Thomson Paediatric Centre.

“They have not yet fully developed the ability to chew and swallow food,” he adds. “They also have smaller airways, which are more vulnerable to obstruction and won’t be able to generate coughs as strong as adults’ to clear them during choking episodes.”

WATCH FOR THE SIGNS

How do you know if your little one is choking? According to Dr Leo, the symptoms are quickly noticeable.

“There is usually a sudden onset of coughing, choking, difficulty breathing or noisy breathing,” he describes.

Dr Leo says it’s important to keep calm.

“If the child is still coughing, this implies that the airway is only partially obstructed, and he should be encouraged to cough out the foreign body on his own,” he states.

“If there is a complete airway obstruction, the child may be unable to speak, cry or cough, and subsequently turn blue or limp,” he concludes.

Smaller objects could also make their way to the lung passages and result in problems later. Take Junior to the doctor to be sure.

A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

You can also follow the directions below in the event your child chokes.

Thomson Paediatric Centre Special

FOR INFANTS:

Step #1: Support your infant’s head with the palm of your hand, and his back on your forearm; sandwich his jaw with your other hand. Turn him face down, with the head low and your thigh supporting his weight. Deliver five back blows between the shoulder blades.

Step #2: Flip the infant over on his back, using your forearms to sandwich the infant, keeping his head low. Deliver five chest thrusts on the breastplate using your index and middle finger, one finger-breadth below the nipple line.

Remove the object only if it can be seen in your child’s mouth. Do not do a blind sweep with your finger. If you can’t see the object, repeat steps #1 and #2 until it is expelled. If your child falls unconscious, call 995 for medical assistance immediately and perform CPR if you’re trained.

FOR OLDER CHILDREN