Online First Aid Course

First Aid is defined as the medical attention that is given to an ill or injured person before medical experts arrive on the scene.This course follows Nationally Accepted guidelines and is valid for 2 years.

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Chapter 5: Choking Emergencies

Defined:

A choking emergency (considered to be a medical emergency) is when an obstruction (object or food) blocks the airway and prevents air from getting to the lungs. The person is not able to breathe normally or cough. This section covers adult and child choking emergencies.

Causes:

Consumption of alcohol / drugs
Hard objects (i.e., marbles, coins) are more common hazards amongst children
Not chewing food properly
Poor fitting dental work
Talking or laughing while eating

Signs and Symptoms:

Coughing
Difficulty breathing or wheezing
Gasping
Holding the neck with one or both hands; using the universal choking sign
Inability to talk
Panic
Passing out
Turning blue
Shortness of breath or troubled breathing

First Aid Actions / Treatment:

If a person is choking, ask “Are you choking?” If the person nods or is unable to breathe or respond, tell the person that you are trained in CPR and that you are going to help.
Stand or kneel behind the person.
Make a fist with one hand and place it on the person’s abdomen just above the belly button.
Grab your fist with the other hand and give quick, upward abdominal thrusts.
Continue abdominal thrusts until the object is dislodged and the person can breathe or cough forcefully, OR person becomes unconscious.
For pregnant women or someone too large for you, give chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.
If an adult or child becomes unconscious, follow the steps to perform adult / child CPR.