From: lorenzo@hsi.com (Evelyn Lorenzo)
Subject: Re: Choking - What to do?
Organization: 3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford, CT
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 16:10:32 GMT

In article <22956@hacgate.SCG.HAC.COM> smergen@luna.dpl.scg.hac.com (Sandra Mergen) writes:
>
>After having 2 children, you'd think that I was an old pro
>at this but I always still panic when something gets caught
>in my children's mouth/throat.
>
>With my first daughter, I always 'fished' it out, and never
>had to do anything else,  thank goodness.
>
>But recently, I had given my 7 month old one of those hard 
>finger cookies that they are supposed to chew on.  I think
>they're called 'biter biscuits'.  When a piece breaks off
>in her mouth, I always 'fish' it out with my finger.  Well,
>the other day, she got a large piece in her mouth, and I
>put my finger in to 'fish' it out, but instead, pushed it
>back down her throat (it was slimy).  Instinct made me slap
>her back and luckily it came up to her lips where I could
>grab it.
>
>But, in the baby books, I read that you put the baby over
>you knees and push on their chest in between the ribs, to
>get the foreign object to come back up.
>
>Do you do this only when you cant get the object out by
>either fishing it out or by slapping their back?  My
>pediatrician also mentioned the pushing the chest method.
>I don't see how it could work.  Has anyone had to try it?
>
[text deleted]
>
>Thanks
>Sandy
>

Sandy,

I train people in infant, child, and adult foreign body obstruction and CPR for
the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross.  There is a sequence
of actions you should take if you have a choking infant.  For the infant, 
(up to 12 months of age), the sequence does include "back blows" and "chest
thrusts," which are the pushes you are talking about.  However, since this is 
a motor skill and it requires that you actually do the "hands-on", there's no
way it can be taught effectively and accurately except in person.  PLEASE NOTE
THAT DOING THESE ACTIONS INCORRECTLY CAN RESULT IN SEVERE DAMAGE AND BODILY 
INJURY.  I STRONGLY encourage anyone interested to contact the local chapter 
of either the Red Cross or Heart Association and get trained in the technique.  
The classes are generally reasonably priced (what isn't when it comes to your 
child's health and safety?) and they usually entail about 4-9 hours of 
training, depending on what training you're looking to complete.  The classes 
given by the American Heart Association also include a lot of great information
regarding home safety and prevention of accidents and illnesses as well as the
actual skills to relieve an obstruction and do CPR.  

The last class I helped teach was at an area hospital and they had arranged for
one of the pediatricians that works at the hospital to give a talk on common
infant and child health concerns and some common sense guidelines for dealing
with sick babies and kids.  (This was an American Heart Association class.) 
The whole presentation was very well-received by the audience of some 30 people
including about 6 sets of expectant parents!!!  We were so excited to see
so many people planning early for their expected "bundles of joy."  It's never
too early to learn!!  Hopefully, you never have to use it, but it's an 
excellent idea to take the course.

Hope to see you in one of my classes :-) !!!

Evelyn Lorenzo, EMT-A
First Aid and CPR Instructor, AHA and ARC
Newsgroups: misc.kids,misc.education