Tag Archives: choking

Treating Halloween Mishaps

Introduction

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

Halloween Mishaps

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.
Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: What Will You Do If Your Baby Starts Choking?

infchokingcons

We’ve previously discussed how to address choking in adults. Today, we address the twin horrors of needing to save a baby’s life (those younger than 12 months old) from choking and how to help yourself if no one else is around to help.
In case you didn’t realize it, infants haven’t had time to accumulate enough disease and toxins to have heart attacks in the way adults do. When they are in a life-threatening situation, it’s far more likely to be from a respiratory cause, such as choking. Infants and young children are exploring their world and seemingly will place most anything near or in their mouths. Too often this leads to choking. Please keep this in mind if you’re ever faced with an infant in danger.
In discussing how to help a child in danger, let’s focus on two considerations: how to assess the situation and how to act.
It is vital to assess these situations accurately. There are important splits in treatment algorithms based on your assessment.
Simply put, the first thing you want to do is determine the infant’s level of responsiveness. For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume we’re discussing conscious choking.
If an infant is suddenly unable to cough or cry, it’s a reasonable to assume that something may be blocking the airway.

  • When this is the case, help will be needed getting the object out.

If an infant is coughing or gagging, it’s likely that the airway may be partially blocked.

  • Coughing is actually the most effective way to dislodge an object, so you shouldn’t interfere in this setting.

If an infant is somewhat responsive in the context of a recent insect bite, bee sting or other possible allergic exposure, the throat could be closing because of an allergic reaction.

  • When this is the case, you are facing a potential life-threatening emergency. Call 911 immediately.

Infant Choking

When you’ve made your assessment, your next step (unless you’re performing CPR, calling 911 or the child is still coughing) is to try to assist in getting the object out. Think “back blows, chest thrusts, repeat unless the infant gets unconscious.” Yes, that was meant to be a jingle.

backblow

Back blows:

  • Hold the infant face up on one forearm, and hold the back of his head with the hand.
  • Stabilize the infant’s front with your opposite hand and forearm.
  • Flip the infant face down so that he’s now in the control of the other forearm. Use your thumb and fingers to stabilize the jaw while flipping. Lower your arm onto your thigh; now the baby’s head will be lower than his chest.
  • Using the heel of your hand, deliver five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades in an effort to dislodge the object. Maintain head and neck support by firmly holding his jaw between your thumb and forefinger.
  • Finally, place the hand that had been delivering the back blows on the back of the baby’s head with your arm along his back. Carefully, turn him over while keeping your other hand and forearm on his front.
  • If you have dislodged the object and the infant is responsive and/or coughing, you are done. Otherwise, proceed to chest thrusts.

chestthrust

Chest thrusts

  • Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw while sandwiching him between your forearms to support his head and neck. Lower your arm that is supporting his back onto your opposite thigh, still keeping the baby’s head lower than the rest of his body.
  • Place the pads of two or three fingers in the center of the baby’s chest, just below an imaginary line running between his nipples. To do a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest about 1 1/2 inches. Then allow the chest to come back to its normal position.
  • Do five chest thrusts. Keep your fingers in contact with the baby’s breastbone. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Repeat
Continue alternating five back blows and chest thrusts until the object is forced out, the infant starts to cough forcefully, cry, breathe on his own or becomes unconscious. If he’s coughing, allow him to do so.

fingersweep

If the infant becomes unconscious
If a choking infant becomes unconscious, you should proceed to modified CPR as follows:

  • Open his mouth. If you can see an object, remove it with your little finger.
  • Give two rescue breaths. If you don’t see the chest rise, tilt his head and try two rescue breaths again.

 If his chest still doesn’t rise, do 30 chest compressions.
  • Check the mouth again, looking for an object. Remove it if seen.
  • Repeat the cycle with rescue breaths and chest compressions until help arrives.

Regardless of the outcome, the infant will need prompt medical attention.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.
Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: What Will You Do If Your Baby Starts Choking?

infchokingcons

We’ve previously discussed how to address choking in adults. Today, we address the twin horrors of needing to save a baby’s life (those younger than 12 months old) from choking and how to help yourself if no one else is around to help.
In case you didn’t realize it, infants haven’t had time to accumulate enough disease and toxins to have heart attacks in the way adults do. When they are in a life-threatening situation, it’s far more likely to be from a respiratory cause, such as choking. Infants and young children are exploring their world and seemingly will place most anything near or in their mouths. Too often this leads to choking. Please keep this in mind if you’re ever faced with an infant in danger.
In discussing how to help a child in danger, let’s focus on two considerations: how to assess the situation and how to act.
It is vital to assess these situations accurately. There are important splits in treatment algorithms based on your assessment.
Simply put, the first thing you want to do is determine the infant’s level of responsiveness. For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume we’re discussing conscious choking.
If an infant is suddenly unable to cough or cry, it’s a reasonable to assume that something may be blocking the airway.

  • When this is the case, help will be needed getting the object out.

If an infant is coughing or gagging, it’s likely that the airway may be partially blocked.

  • Coughing is actually the most effective way to dislodge an object, so you shouldn’t interfere in this setting.

If an infant is somewhat responsive in the context of a recent insect bite, bee sting or other possible allergic exposure, the throat could be closing because of an allergic reaction.

  • When this is the case, you are facing a potential life-threatening emergency. Call 911 immediately.

Infant Choking

When you’ve made your assessment, your next step (unless you’re performing CPR, calling 911 or the child is still coughing) is to try to assist in getting the object out. Think “back blows, chest thrusts, repeat unless the infant gets unconscious.” Yes, that was meant to be a jingle.

backblow

Back blows:

  • Hold the infant face up on one forearm, and hold the back of his head with the hand.
  • Stabilize the infant’s front with your opposite hand and forearm.
  • Flip the infant face down so that he’s now in the control of the other forearm. Use your thumb and fingers to stabilize the jaw while flipping. Lower your arm onto your thigh; now the baby’s head will be lower than his chest.
  • Using the heel of your hand, deliver five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades in an effort to dislodge the object. Maintain head and neck support by firmly holding his jaw between your thumb and forefinger.
  • Finally, place the hand that had been delivering the back blows on the back of the baby’s head with your arm along his back. Carefully, turn him over while keeping your other hand and forearm on his front.
  • If you have dislodged the object and the infant is responsive and/or coughing, you are done. Otherwise, proceed to chest thrusts.

chestthrust

Chest thrusts

  • Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw while sandwiching him between your forearms to support his head and neck. Lower your arm that is supporting his back onto your opposite thigh, still keeping the baby’s head lower than the rest of his body.
  • Place the pads of two or three fingers in the center of the baby’s chest, just below an imaginary line running between his nipples. To do a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest about 1 1/2 inches. Then allow the chest to come back to its normal position.
  • Do five chest thrusts. Keep your fingers in contact with the baby’s breastbone. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Repeat
Continue alternating five back blows and chest thrusts until the object is forced out, the infant starts to cough forcefully, cry, breathe on his own or becomes unconscious. If he’s coughing, allow him to do so.

fingersweep

If the infant becomes unconscious
If a choking infant becomes unconscious, you should proceed to modified CPR as follows:

  • Open his mouth. If you can see an object, remove it with your little finger.
  • Give two rescue breaths. If you don’t see the chest rise, tilt his head and try two rescue breaths again.

 If his chest still doesn’t rise, do 30 chest compressions.
  • Check the mouth again, looking for an object. Remove it if seen.
  • Repeat the cycle with rescue breaths and chest compressions until help arrives.

Regardless of the outcome, the infant will need prompt medical attention.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: What Will You Do If Your Baby Starts Choking?

infchokingcons

We’ve previously discussed how to address choking in adults. Today, we address the twin horrors of needing to save a baby’s life (those younger than 12 months old) from choking and how to help yourself if no one else is around to help.
In case you didn’t realize it, infants haven’t had time to accumulate enough disease and toxins to have heart attacks in the way adults do. When they are in a life-threatening situation, it’s far more likely to be from a respiratory cause, such as choking. Infants and young children are exploring their world and seemingly will place most anything near or in their mouths. Too often this leads to choking. Please keep this in mind if you’re ever faced with an infant in danger.
In discussing how to help a child in danger, let’s focus on two considerations: how to assess the situation and how to act.
It is vital to assess these situations accurately. There are important splits in treatment algorithms based on your assessment.
Simply put, the first thing you want to do is determine the infant’s level of responsiveness. For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume we’re discussing conscious choking.
If an infant is suddenly unable to cough or cry, it’s a reasonable to assume that something may be blocking the airway.

  • When this is the case, help will be needed getting the object out.

If an infant is coughing or gagging, it’s likely that the airway may be partially blocked.

  • Coughing is actually the most effective way to dislodge an object, so you shouldn’t interfere in this setting.

If an infant is somewhat responsive in the context of a recent insect bite, bee sting or other possible allergic exposure, the throat could be closing because of an allergic reaction.

  • When this is the case, you are facing a potential life-threatening emergency. Call 911 immediately.

Infant Choking

When you’ve made your assessment, your next step (unless you’re performing CPR, calling 911 or the child is still coughing) is to try to assist in getting the object out. Think “back blows, chest thrusts, repeat unless the infant gets unconscious.” Yes, that was meant to be a jingle.

backblow

Back blows:

  • Hold the infant face up on one forearm, and hold the back of his head with the hand.
  • Stabilize the infant’s front with your opposite hand and forearm.
  • Flip the infant face down so that he’s now in the control of the other forearm. Use your thumb and fingers to stabilize the jaw while flipping. Lower your arm onto your thigh; now the baby’s head will be lower than his chest.
  • Using the heel of your hand, deliver five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades in an effort to dislodge the object. Maintain head and neck support by firmly holding his jaw between your thumb and forefinger.
  • Finally, place the hand that had been delivering the back blows on the back of the baby’s head with your arm along his back. Carefully, turn him over while keeping your other hand and forearm on his front.
  • If you have dislodged the object and the infant is responsive and/or coughing, you are done. Otherwise, proceed to chest thrusts.

chestthrust

Chest thrusts

  • Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw while sandwiching him between your forearms to support his head and neck. Lower your arm that is supporting his back onto your opposite thigh, still keeping the baby’s head lower than the rest of his body.
  • Place the pads of two or three fingers in the center of the baby’s chest, just below an imaginary line running between his nipples. To do a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest about 1 1/2 inches. Then allow the chest to come back to its normal position.
  • Do five chest thrusts. Keep your fingers in contact with the baby’s breastbone. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Repeat
Continue alternating five back blows and chest thrusts until the object is forced out, the infant starts to cough forcefully, cry, breathe on his own or becomes unconscious. If he’s coughing, allow him to do so.

fingersweep

If the infant becomes unconscious
If a choking infant becomes unconscious, you should proceed to modified CPR as follows:

  • Open his mouth. If you can see an object, remove it with your little finger.
  • Give two rescue breaths. If you don’t see the chest rise, tilt his head and try two rescue breaths again.

 If his chest still doesn’t rise, do 30 chest compressions.
  • Check the mouth again, looking for an object. Remove it if seen.
  • Repeat the cycle with rescue breaths and chest compressions until help arrives.

Regardless of the outcome, the infant will need prompt medical attention.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, AmazonBarnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

Halloween-Candy

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.
  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween ankle sprain

  1. Sprained ankle?
  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween syncope

  1. Faints?
  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween choking

  1. Choking?
  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA). Enjoy some of our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: What Will You Do If Your Baby Starts Choking?

infchokingcons

We’ve previously discussed how to address choking in adults. Today, we address the twin horrors of needing to save a baby’s life (those younger than 12 months old) from choking and how to help yourself if no one else is around to help.
In case you didn’t realize it, infants haven’t had time to accumulate enough disease and toxins to have heart attacks in the way adults do. When they are in a life-threatening situation, it’s far more likely to be from a respiratory cause, such as choking. Infants and young children are exploring their world and seemingly will place most anything near or in their mouths. Too often this leads to choking. Please keep this in mind if you’re ever faced with an infant in danger.
In discussing how to help a child in danger, let’s focus on two considerations: how to assess the situation and how to act.
It is vital to assess these situations accurately. There are important splits in treatment algorithms based on your assessment.
Simply put, the first thing you want to do is determine the infant’s level of responsiveness. For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume we’re discussing conscious choking.
If an infant is suddenly unable to cough or cry, it’s a reasonable to assume that something may be blocking the airway.

  • When this is the case, help will be needed getting the object out.

If an infant is coughing or gagging, it’s likely that the airway may be partially blocked.

  • Coughing is actually the most effective way to dislodge an object, so you shouldn’t interfere in this setting.

If an infant is somewhat responsive in the context of a recent insect bite, bee sting or other possible allergic exposure, the throat could be closing because of an allergic reaction.

  • When this is the case, you are facing a potential life-threatening emergency. Call 911 immediately.

Infant Choking

When you’ve made your assessment, your next step (unless you’re performing CPR, calling 911 or the child is still coughing) is to try to assist in getting the object out. Think “back blows, chest thrusts, repeat unless the infant gets unconscious.” Yes, that was meant to be a jingle.

backblow

Back blows:

  • Hold the infant face up on one forearm, and hold the back of his head with the hand.
  • Stabilize the infant’s front with your opposite hand and forearm.
  • Flip the infant face down so that he’s now in the control of the other forearm. Use your thumb and fingers to stabilize the jaw while flipping. Lower your arm onto your thigh; now the baby’s head will be lower than his chest.
  • Using the heel of your hand, deliver five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades in an effort to dislodge the object. Maintain head and neck support by firmly holding his jaw between your thumb and forefinger.
  • Finally, place the hand that had been delivering the back blows on the back of the baby’s head with your arm along his back. Carefully, turn him over while keeping your other hand and forearm on his front.
  • If you have dislodged the object and the infant is responsive and/or coughing, you are done. Otherwise, proceed to chest thrusts.

chestthrust

Chest thrusts

  • Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw while sandwiching him between your forearms to support his head and neck. Lower your arm that is supporting his back onto your opposite thigh, still keeping the baby’s head lower than the rest of his body.
  • Place the pads of two or three fingers in the center of the baby’s chest, just below an imaginary line running between his nipples. To do a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest about 1 1/2 inches. Then allow the chest to come back to its normal position.
  • Do five chest thrusts. Keep your fingers in contact with the baby’s breastbone. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Repeat
Continue alternating five back blows and chest thrusts until the object is forced out, the infant starts to cough forcefully, cry, breathe on his own or becomes unconscious. If he’s coughing, allow him to do so.

fingersweep

If the infant becomes unconscious
If a choking infant becomes unconscious, you should proceed to modified CPR as follows:

  • Open his mouth. If you can see an object, remove it with your little finger.
  • Give two rescue breaths. If you don’t see the chest rise, tilt his head and try two rescue breaths again.

 If his chest still doesn’t rise, do 30 chest compressions.
  • Check the mouth again, looking for an object. Remove it if seen.
  • Repeat the cycle with rescue breaths and chest compressions until help arrives.

Regardless of the outcome, the infant will need prompt medical attention.
Feel free to contact your SMA expert consultant with any questions you have on this topic.
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