On the social network TikTok, a paramedic shared the effective method to use on a child in the event of choking.
- Each year in the European Union, some 50,000 children (14 years of age or younger) have an episode of choking.
- The majority of deaths from choking and suffocation occur in the first year of life.
It’s a reflex that you can have, but which turns out to be dangerous: putting your fingers in the mouth of a child who is choking to remove the object. However, this is anything but a good idea according to Nikki Jurcutz, paramedic and founder of the Tiny Hearts Foundation.
Putting the fingers in the mouth pushes the object further into the airways
On TikTok, she gave a demonstration to let people know about this little-known fact:Pushing food out with your fingers can push it in more“, she explained, making it even more difficult to rescue the child in distress.
Instead, kick the child on the back and push on the chest, she shows in the video taken by Mail Online who shares this story. We see her effectively pushing a cherry tomato out of a very narrow tube that represents the respiratory tract of a child: “This tube is the size of a child’s airway. If your child has a complete obstruction, air can’t get in or out“, explains Ms. Jurcutz during the demonstration.
Cutting food into small pieces is essential
On the social network, the feedback from internet users has been unanimous:This is a great demonstration of why this method is the best, thanks“, said one of them. Another adds: “For the first time, I fully understood the maneuver to be performed, thanks to this brilliant demonstration. Thanks“.”I’m a nurse and this is the best portrayal I’ve ever seen“added a woman.
Another TikTok user advised to always cut fruit before consuming it to prevent too large a piece from getting stuck:Quarter small whole foods, cut into wedges and long wedges. You can get away with halves mostly blueberries and raspberries“.
Five slaps on the back allow you to cough and expel the object
The French Red Cross provides details on the behavior to have:Give a maximum of five slaps on the victim’s back. After each slap, check if everything is in order. If back slaps don’t work, perform a maximum of five abdominal thrusts. If the problem is still unresolved, alternate five back slaps and five abdominal thrusts.” This valuable information is valid for children over one year and adults.