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    • Cardiac Arrest
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    • Choking
    • Infant Choking
  • News
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Choking – Infants under 1 year

Choking in infants is usually caused by breathing in a small object that the baby has placed in their mouth, such as a button, coin, balloon, toy part, or watch battery.

Choking may result from a complete or partial blockage of the airway.

A complete blockage is a medical emergency.

A partial blockage can quickly become life threatening if the baby cannot get enough air.

When a person does not get enough air, permanent brain damage can occur in as little as 4 minutes. 

Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

Symptoms

The danger signs of choking are:

- Bluish skin color
- Difficulty breathing — ribs and chest pull inward
- Loss of consciousness (unresponsiveness) if blockage is not cleared
- Inability to cry or make much sound
- Weak, ineffective coughing
- Soft or high-pitched sounds while inhaling

How can I help?

DO NOT perform these steps if the infant is coughing hard or has a strong cry. Strong coughs and cries can help push the object out of the airway.

If your child is not coughing forcefully or does not have a strong cry, follow these steps:
- Lay the infant face down, along your forearm. 
- Use your thigh or lap for support. 
- Hold the infant’s chest in your hand and the jaw with your fingers. 
- Point the infant’s head downward, lower than the body.
- Give up to 5 quick, forceful blows between the infant’s shoulder blades. Use the palm of your free hand.


If the object does not come out of the airway after 5 blows:
- Turn the infant face-up. Use your thigh or lap for support. Support the head.
- Place 2 fingers on the middle of the breastbone just below the nipples.
- Give up to 5 quick thrusts down, compressing the chest one third to one half the depth of the chest.
- Continue 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the infant loses alertness (becomes unconscious).

What if the infant becomes unconscious?

If the child becomes unresponsive, stops breathing, or turns blue:

- Shout for help.
- Give infant CPR. Call 999 after 1 minute of CPR.
- If you can see the object blocking the airway, try to remove it with your finger. 
- Try to remove an object only if you can see it.

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