| Subject | Contents |
| Definition | This condition is the inability to breathe due to a blockage in the airway (windpipe) in an infant under age 1. |
| Alternative Names | Choking first aid - conscious infant under 1 year |
| Considerations | All choking victims should receive medical attention after the episode, since complications can arise, even if the object is successfully dislodged. Occasionally, an object will enter the lung instead of being expelled. While the victim may appear to improve and breathe normally, in a few days signs and symptoms of a foreign body in the lung (such as wheezing , persistent cough , and pneumonia ) may develop. If this happens, get medical help immediately. |
| Causes | Choking in infants is usually caused by inhaling a small object that they have placed in their mouth, such as a button, coin, or watch battery. |
| Symptoms | Inability to breathe or cry with no preceding respiratory symptoms Sudden wheezing or noisy breathing Weak or ineffective coughing High-pitched noises Face begins to turn blue |
| First Aid | 1. Confirm that the airway is obstructed. Only initiate the following steps if the infant exhibits serious breathing difficulty, absent or ineffective cough, and no strong cry. 2. Lay the infant face down along your forearm with the child's chest in your hand and the jaw between your thumb and index finger. Use your thigh or lap for support. Keep the infant's head lower than his or her body. 3. Give 5 quick, forceful blows between the child's shoulder blades with the palm of your other hand. 4. Turn the infant over to be face up on your other arm. Use your thigh or lap for support. Keep the head lower than the body. 5. Place 2 fingers on the middle of his breastbone just below the nipples. 6. Give 5 quick thrusts down, depressing the breast 1/2 to 1 inch each time. Each thrust is a separate attempt to clear the baby's airway by forcing air out through the windpipe. 7. Continue this series of 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the baby loses consciousness. If the baby loses consciousness, administer first aid for an unconscious choking infant. |
| Do Not | DO NOT interfere with the infant if he or she can still cough , breathe, or cry. DO NOT try to grasp the object lodged in the infant's throat; you may push it farther down. DO NOT begin CPR (if the breathing has stopped) until the airway is cleared. DO NOT initiate the first aid steps outlined here unless you are sure the infant is choking . Performing these measures for airway obstruction caused by infection or swelling is likely futile and potentially dangerous. |
| Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if | If you are not alone, have one person call the local emergency number while another person begins first aid. If you are alone, shout for help, and begin first aid. Even if you successfully dislodge the obstruction and the infant seems fine, bring the child to the hospital or call the doctor for further instructions. |
| Prevention | Recognize what is age-appropriate for children, especially when choosing toys. Don't give infants toys that are fragile or that have batteries or small parts. Reduce the risk of choking accidents by making sure children do not come into contact with buttons, watch batteries, popcorn, coins, grapes, nuts, or similar items. It is also important to sit with a child while he or she eats. Do not allow a child to crawl around while eating. Never tie pacifiers (or anything else) around a baby's neck. Start teaching your child the meaning of "Don't touch." The earliest safety lesson is "No!" |
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