Preventing and Treating Choking in Infants and Children

Children and infants are curious by nature. They often explore their surroundings and tend to put everything that they can into their mouths. Sometimes, putting things into their mouths can cause a child or infant to choke. Choking occurs when a person's airway is blocked because there is an object in the way. Knowing how to help prevent a child or infant from choking as well as what to do in the event of choking is very important and can save a child or infant's life.

The best way to prevent a child or infant from choking is to take safety measures. You should not leave things such as small buttons, coins, beads, or anything that a child could easily put into their mouth and choke on in the child or infant's reach. Keep them in a sealed jar on top of the refrigerator or in a cabinet. When a child or infant is eating, you should always have them sitting in a high chair or at the table. This prevents them from running around with food in their mouth and choking. Give infants soft food that does not require them to chew. It takes time for an infant to learn how to chew and swallow properly. When giving a child food, cut things into small pieces to make it easier for them to chew, and do not allow them to eat too quickly or stuff their mouth. Toys should be big enough that a child or infant cannot put them into their mouth and they should not have any small, removable parts. Check your child or infant's toys for safety. These things can really help to prevent choking in a child or infant.

Children and infants often choke when they attempt to swallow too much food at one time, or have not chewed their food properly. If you are feeding your infant, give small bites and wait until the mouth is empty before giving another bite. You should monitor a child that is able to feed themselves to be sure that they are not eating too quickly or putting too much in their mouth at one time. Teach your child to put the spoon down between bites and chew their food thoroughly. Laughing and becoming excited while eating is another cause of choking in children and infants. Try to keep mealtime calm to help prevent choking.

If an infant begins to choke, you need to know what to do and act quickly. If the infant is coughing, it is a good sign. This means that they are still able to get air into their body. It is when the infant stops coughing and you can see that they cannot breathe that you must really take action.

First, pick the infant up. Cradle the infant's face in the palm of your hand so that your hand forms a cup, not so that your hand is flat against their face, and place one leg on either side of your arm so the infant is straddling your arm. Now, while supporting the head, hold the infants with the face down and head pointing towards the floor. You will probably need to support your arm with your knee. Give the infant five strong back blows. Using the heal of your hand, hit directly between the shoulder blades in a way that would help force the object out of the infants airway. Cradle the head and neck with the other hand and flip the infant over. You still want his legs to straddle your arms. Now, while holding the infant with its head pointing towards the ground, give five chest thrusts. Put two or three fingers directly between the infant's nipples and compress the breastbone to about ½ to 1 inch. Let the breastbone completely return to its normal place between thrusts. Continue going back and forth between back blows and chest thrusts until the object comes out, the infant begins breathing on its own, or the infant becomes unconscious.

If an infant becomes unconscious, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency response number right away. When calling for help, take the infant with you so you can continue care.

Continue care as you were, with one exception. After giving back blows, and before giving chest thrusts, open the infant's mouth to see if you can see the object. If you can, use your pinky finger to try to scoop it out of the way. Do not try to dig an object out; only get it if it is clearly visible and easily removed. Trying to dig it out could cause it to lodge farther in the airway. Once you have checked for the object, attempt to give the infant two rescue breaths. Hold the infants head back so its nose is pointing straight up. Cover the infant's mouth and nose with your mouth and give a puff of air. Watch and feel for the chest to rise and fall, if it does not, continue with chest thrusts. Continue the cycle of back blows, checking for the object, attempting breaths and chest thrusts until the object comes out, the infant can breathe on its own, or help arrives. An infant can only go a few minutes without oxygen before the body begins to fail, so acting quickly in a choking emergency is extremely important to an infant's survival.

When a child is choking, and is too big to handle as you would an infant, get down to the child's level and attempt the Heimlich Maneuver. Make a fist with one hand, and place this hand just above the child's belly button with the thumb side towards the child. Now, cover that hand with your other one. When doing this, you should be behind the child with your arms wrapped around him. Now, thrust inwards and upwards with 5 quick sharp thrusts. If the object does not come out, lean the child over while supporting the head and neck and administer 5 back blows directly between the child's shoulder blades. Continue alternating between the chest thrusts (Heimlich Maneuver) and back blows until the object comes out, the child begins breathing on his own, or the child becomes unconscious.

If the child becomes unconscious call 9-1-1 or you local emergency response number immediately, gently lower him to the floor and lay him on his back. Check inside the mouth to see if you can see an object. If you can, use your pinky finger to attempt to scoop the object out. Do not try to dig the object out; this could cause the object to become lodged even more in the airway. Now, tilt the child's head back to open the airway and attempt two rescue breathes. Give breaths my covering the nose with your cheek, and covering the child's mouth with your own. Breathe into the child slowly and watch for the chest to rise. If air does not go in, use the heal of one hand and give the child chest thrusts. Push inward and upward with the heal of your hand just above the belly button. After 5 chest thrusts, check the mouth for the object, scoop it out if you can see it, and, if the child is not breathing, give 2 rescue breaths. Continue the cycle of chest thrusts, checking for the object, and rescue breathing until the object comes out, the child is breathing on their own, or help arrives.

Knowing what to do to prevent choking is the best way to keep your infant or child safe from the dangers of choking. Knowing what to do in case of choking gives your infant or child the best chance at survival.

The information in this article comes from a certified CPR and First Aid instructor.