HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
Paramedic reveals the deadly mistake most parents will make when their kids are choking
A BABY choking is any parent's worst nightmare and they will do anything to save their child.
But medics have warned that being afraid of hurting your tot might mean you won't do enough to dislodge whatever is blocking their airway.
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In a posted to Instagram, first aider Nikki Jurcutz from Tiny Hearts Education said parents could be making a deadly mistake when helping a choking baby.
The paramedic - who specialises in baby and child first aid - shared a clip of herself demonstrating how to slap a baby's back when it is choking.
The blows she placed between the doll's shoulder blades were noticeably forceful, leading one viewer to question: "Aren't those blows too hard? Babies are so fragile."
Nikki said the same question comes up every time she posts a video about how to perform choking first aid.
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But she said there's a reason she was hitting the doll so hard - and why you should too if your child gets something caught in their throat.
Nikki wrote: "I wanted to remind you, if you are at the point of needing to use back blows, it means your child is not getting any oxygen into their lungs."
"Every second the object is left inside is another second without oxygen for your child."
This is when the principle of 'life over limb' should take over, the paramedic continued, showing a picture of a toddler with a reddened back.
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"Saving your child's life is the priority over a bruised back," she stressed.
While any bruises will heal, a baby who is deprived of oxygen for four minutes can't, the first aider added.
One user commented on her post, describing how her hands were still sore an hour after having to slap her six-year-old's back when he choked on a sausage.
Another said she had watched nursing staff perform choking first aid on her daughter and had been shocked by "how hard you need to deliver the back blows to babies".
Signs your baby is choking
There are a few signs to look out for to tell if your baby is choking.
According to , a may:
- be unable to breathe, cry, or cough
- have a red puffy face
- show signs of distress
But a child might:
- have difficulty breathing, speaking or coughing
- have a red puffy face
- show signs of distress and they may point to their throat or grasp their neck
In an earlier video posted to the Tiny Hearts Instagram page, Nikki named another three mistakes parents are making in the event their child starts choking.
She said it was best to get the 999 call out of the way first before starting choking treatment and stressed that you should never hang a baby upside down or stick your fingers in their mouth.
The Australian-based first-aid educator had previously revealed the best ways to reduce your child's risk of choking.
These include banning eating in the car, making sure your child doesn't consume risky foods such as whole nuts and popcorn, and sitting with a kid while they eat.
What to do if your child chokes
It’s a parents worst nightmare to imagine a situation in which they have to save their child from choking.
But in that moment, it may be you that will have to step up and perform first aid.
The NHS says if you can see an object lodged in your child’s mouth, take care to remove it because blindly poking at it could make things worse.
If the child is coughing, encourage them to continue as they may be able to bring the object up - don't leave them.
If the coughing isn’t effective (it is silent or they cannot breathe properly), shout for help immediately.
If the child is still conscious, use back blows.
First aiders at give the following advice based on the child’s age.
Baby
- Slap it out:
- Lay the baby face down along your thigh and support their head
- Give five back blows between their shoulder blades
- Turn them over and check their mouth each time
2. Squeeze it out:
- Turn the baby over, face upwards, supported along your thigh
- Put two fingers in the centre of their chest just below the nipple line; push downwards to give up to five sharp chest thrusts
- Check the mouth each time
3. If the item does not dislodge, call 999 or 112 for emergency help
- Take the baby with you to call
- Repeat the steps 1 and 2 until help arrives
- Start CPR if the baby becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
Child
1. Cough it out
- Encourage the casualty to keep coughing, if they can
2. Slap it out
- Lean them forwards, supporting them with one hand
- Give five sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
- Check their mouth each time but do not put your fingers in their mouth
3. Squeeze it out
- Stand behind them with your arms around their waist, with one clenched fist between their belly button and the bottom of their chest
- Grasp the fist in the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, giving up to five abdominal thrusts
- Check their mouth each time
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4. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help if the object does not dislodge
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until help arrives
- Start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
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