1. CHOKING
Chapter 4

2. DO NOW QUESTIONS 2-3 sentences each question
What should you do if you are alone and choking?
What should you do if the person is pregnant, too large to reach around or in a wheelchair and cannot stand?

3. Choking occurs when the person’s airway is partially or completely blocked.

4. Causes of Choking- Adults
Food
Drinking alcohol
(Alcohol dulls the nerves that aids swallowing )
Wearing dentures
(Dentures make it difficult to sense whether food is fully chewed before it is swallowed)
Laughing while eating
Moving with food or objects in the mouth

5. Causes of Choking-Child/Infant
Lack of Chewing
(Chewing is not a skill that is learned until age 4)
*Food
(Candy, grapes, popcorn, gum, vitamins)
Non-food items
(BALLOONS, baby powder, Legos,
safety pins, coins, marbles, pen and
marker caps, small batteries)

6. Signs of Choking Coughing Inability to cough, speak, cry or breathe
Clutching the throat
High-pitched noises while inhaling or noisy breathing
Panic
Losing consciousness
Bluish skin color

7. CHOKING FOR ADULT/CHILD
Mrs. Doubtfire Choking
American Red Cross Adult/Child Video

8. Infant Conscious Choking
American Red Infant Video

9. Special Situations
If the conscious person is too large for you to reach around, give chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.

10. Special Situations
If you are alone and choking, bend over and press your abdomen against a firm object or give self abdominal thrust
Examples: Back of chair, a railing or kitchen sink
DO NOT bend over a sharp edge or corner

11. Special Situations
Just give abdominal thrust if you are unable to pick them up or have help holding them up

12. Conscious to Unconscious
If an adult, child or infant becomes unconscious, carefully lower him or her to the ground and begin CPR.
Maintain and check for obstructions in the airway before giving rescue breaths.