Choking

[KrystalS]

Today I was walking to get DD from school. A mom ran out her front door with her probably 2yo daughter. The little girl was screaming and the mom ran to me b/c I was walking in front of her house on the sidewalk. She said shes choking on a piece of candy and I don't know what to do. She was hysterical, I would have been too! The toddler was screaming so she could obviously breathe, I looked in her mouth to see if I could actually see the candy, I couldn't. I do know the heimlich maneuver so I tried. She threw up several times but the candy never came out. I told the mom she needed to call 911, even though the girl could breathe the candy was obviously stuck and it wasn't coming out. I had to leave or I would be really late getting DD from school, I was already late, and I had no one to get her.
I went back as fast as I could after getting DD, the ambulance was just getting there. I plan to go back tomorrow and check on her. I don't know the family but I think they moved in recently.
Anyway I wanted to ask you all if there's anything else you can do for choking. I know DS is getting into everything these days and I constantly catch him just before he gets things into his mouth. Seeing how scared both the mom and her little girl were today I would really like to be as prepared as possible if that were to ever happen to me.

[Uno-Mom]

I'm recalling my most recent CPR training (I dont' have my manual in front of me so don't take this as gospel!). I believe that you're supposed to do nothing (no heimlich) if the person is able to breath. The thrusts only work to propel an object out if the airway is obstructed - I *think* the object is shoved out by air pressure from the diaphragm. You are supposed to call 911 and watch the person closely.

Wow - good for you for stepping in there! You were right on for telling the mom to call 911. Maybe you even saved that girl's life - the candy could have moved to the airway at ANY moment. And double-good for going back to check on them tomorrow.

I strongly suggest taking a children's CPR class. And I'm suggesting that to MYSELF, too, because I still haven't. I'm terrible because I take adult CPR every year for work but haven't taken the kids' version ever.

Thanks for the reminder.

[s7714]

If she was screaming she wasn't choking bad enough to be in immediate danger. Sounds like they both just needed to calm down, but I would have called 911 none the less.

[Snow mom]

For a very young child rather than doing the heimlich like on an adult you basically tip them over and hit them between the shoulder blades with the butt of your palm. I think calling 911 was absolutely the best thing to do in this case. They now recommend that you do rescue breathing for infants before calling 911 (if not breathing and no airway obstruction.) Apparently a few rescue breaths will often restart an infants breathing which is the most important thing. I think taking an infant/child CPR is a great recommendation for anyone who is around children. I took one when DD was an infant and should take it again as a refresher.

[Green_Tea]

Originally Posted by s7714

If she was screaming she wasn't choking bad enough to be in immediate danger. Sounds like they both just needed to calm down, but I would have called 911 none the less.

I would have done nothing other than call 911. The Heimlich maneuver can be a life saver - but it can also result in injuries like broken ribs. If the child could scream, her airway was not obstructed.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fir...hoking/FA00025

[ladysoapmaker]

I'm trained in adult & Child CPR. In a case like this where a person has something stuck and you can not see it but they are still breathing, calling 911 (or your equivalent emergency response number) is the best response. And DO NOT try to do a finger sweep to get an obstruction out you may force it deeper in. If you can see something and can safely pull it out you can try but I wouldn't recommend it. Save it for the professionals as they have tools that are easier to fit into a small mouth then adult fingers.

I also recommend every parent or person thinking of becoming a parent take basic first aid and child CPR. It can help with the panic response so many people get because they don't know what to do.

Jen

[fortato]

Something similar happened 2 weeks ago across the street from me- Neighbor's 2 year old found a piece of popcorn on the floor. He tried to eat it, but it got stuck somewhere and he choked on it.He could cry, but he had distressed breathing. His mother called 911, and and ambulence, firetruck, and police car came. They rushed him to the hospital and ended up having to bring him in for surgery- had to scope him to get the piece of popcorn out. He spent the night in the hospital and was ok in the morning.
It's so scary, and there's no telling when things like this will happen.