Get Choking Protocol

When someone is choking with a completely blocked airway, no oxygen can enter the lungs. The brain is extremely sensitive to this lack of oxygen and begins to die within four to six minutes. It is during this time that first aid must take place. Irreversible brain death occurs in as little as 10 minutes.

After any major choking episode, a child needs to go to the ER. Get emergency medical care for a child if: The child has a lasting cough, drooling, gagging, wheezing, trouble swallowing, or trouble breathing. The child turned blue, became limp, or was unconscious during the episode, even if he or she seemed to recover.

Do not try to dislodge the object by hitting the child on the back or squeezing the stomach – this may move the object into a more dangerous position and cause the child to stop breathing. Stay with the child and watch to see if their breathing improves.

Bend the person over at the waist to face the ground. Strike five separate times between the person's shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Give five abdominal thrusts. If back blows don't remove the stuck object, give five abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich maneuver.

After the object is successfully dislodged, the person should see a doctor because complications can arise. In the days following a choking episode, contact a doctor right away if the person develops: A cough that does not go away. Fever.

Common Causes of Choking eating or drinking too quickly. swallowing food before it has been sufficiently chewed. swallowing small bones or objects. inhaling small objects.

The simple answer is yes you should visit the doctor after choking. Here at Dechoker we like to help people make informed decisions about staying safe. Choking may seem like a quick happenstance, an emergency that's over as abruptly as it started, but its effects can be surprisingly long-lasting.

Choking occurs when the airway is blocked by food, drink, or foreign objects. Aspiration occurs when food, drink, or foreign objects are breathed into the lungs (going down the wrong tube). It might happen during choking, but aspiration can also be silent, meaning that there is no outward sign.