1. Kathleen Blair-Harmon, RN
Relief of Choking in Victims 1 Year of Age and Older
Kathleen Blair-Harmon, RN

2. Relief of Choking This presentation will discuss common
causes of choking and actions to relieve
choking – also known as foreign-body
airway obstruction (FBAO)

3. Relief of Choking Learning Objective:
At the completion of this presentation the
participant will be able to show how to relieve
choking in the responsive and unresponsive
victim over 1 year of age.

4. Relief of Choking
The key to a successful outcome is the early recognition of an airway obstruction.
Foreign bodies can cause either mild or severe airway obstruction

5. Relief of Choking Signs of mild airway obstruction are:
Good air exchange
Responsive and can cough forcefully
May wheeze between coughs
As long as good air exchange continues, simply encourage the victim to continue spontaneous coughing and breathing efforts.
Do not interfere with the victim’s attempts to expel the foreign body
Stay with the victim and monitor the situation
If the mild obstruction persists, activate the emergency response system (911)

6. Relief of Choking It is important to recognize the signs and
symptoms of a severe airway obstruction.
Poor or no air exchange
Weak ineffective cough or no cough
High-pitched noise while inhaling/no noise at all
Increased respiratory difficulty
Cyanosis
Unable to speak
Making the universal choking sign
Unable to move air

7. Relief of Choking Universal Choking Sign
Clutching the neck with the thumb and fingers

8. Relief of Choking Step 1:
Ask, "Are you choking?" Stay calm, and try to keep the victim calm as well.

9. Relief of Choking Step 2: It is best to point to a specific
person and tell him to call
911. Instruct the person to
tell the operator that someone is choking. Don't just call out
for anyone to call 911, as
bystanders may freeze or
panic in emergency situations.

10. Abdominal Thrusts
Step 3: Position yourself behind the choking person.

11. Relief of Choking Step 4: Place the thumb side of your fist against
the victim’s abdomen,
in the midline, slightly
above the navel and
well below the
breastbone.

12. Relief of Choking Step 5: Grab your fist with your other
hand and press your fist into
the victim’s abdomen with a
quick upward thrust.
Give each thrust with
a separate and distinct
movement

13. Relief of Choking
Step 6: Repeat thrusts until the object is expelled from the airway or the victim becomes unresponsive.

14. Relief of Choking
If a choking victim becomes unresponsive, you know that choking caused the symptoms.
Activate 911, open the airway, remove the object if you see it, and begin CPR.

15. Relief of Choking
If you are alone with a child choking victim that becomes unresponsive, open
the airway, remove the object
is you see it, and begin CPR.
After about 5 cycles, or 2 minutes
of CPR, activate 911 if this has
not already been done.

16. Relief of Choking
For both the adult and child victims, look for an object each time you go to give a breath. If you see an object, remove it with your fingers. If you do not see an object, keep doing CPR.

17. Relief of Choking
If the victim is pregnant or obese, perform chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.

18. Relief of Choking You can tell you have successfully removed
an airway obstruction if you
Feel air movement and see the chest rise when you give breaths
See and remove a foreign body from the pharynx

19. Relief of Choking
Any
Questions?

20. Thank You