choking

E-cigs refills ‘threat to children’

9th November 2014

Parents need to keep electronic cigarette refills away from young children because of the risk of poisoning, doctors in Birmingham say. They issued the warning, in the medical journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, after a two-year-old girl accidentally licked some of the liquid. The infant recovered, but high doses of nicotine can be lethal. Doctors said parents should treat nicotine refills like white spirit, medicines and bleach. There has been a surge in popularity of e-cigarettes, with more than two million people in the UK thought to use them. However, there has been a similar boom in nicotine poisonings. The National Poisons Information Service, part of Public Health England, said it had had 139 enquiries about nicotine last year, compared with 29 in 2012 [More…]

Choking Children

29th May 2014

Choking Children Over One Year old No matter how careful you are, your child may choke on something. In most cases, you or someone else will see your child swallow the object that causes choking. There can be other reasons why your child starts coughing. However, if your child suddenly starts coughing, is not ill and has a habit of putting small objects in their mouth, there’s a good chance that they’re choking. Try these suggestions: Back blows (for children over one year) Back blows are more effective if the child is positioned head down. Put a small child across your lap as you would a baby. Abdominal thrusts for children over one year: Clench your fist and place it between the navel and ribs. [More…]

Choking Adult

17th May 2014

The information below is for choking in adults and children over one year old. If the airway is only partly blocked, the person will usually be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe. In situations like this, a person will usually be able to clear the blockage themselves. If choking is mild: Encourage the person to continue coughing to try to clear the blockage. Remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth using your first two fingers and thumb. If the obstruction is severe and the person is struggling to breathe, give up to five back blows (between the shoulder blades), using the heel of your hand. Carefully check the mouth and, if possible, remove any obstruction after every blow. If this does not clear the [More…]

Choking in Babies

14th April 2014

Choking in Babies Under 12 months old A baby who is choking will be distressed and may be unable to cry, cough or breathe. Lie the baby face down along your forearm or thigh, with their head low. Support their head. Stop after each slap to check if the blockage has cleared. Important: do not use abdominal thrusts with babies under one year old. Stop after each thrust to check if the blockage has cleared. Dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance immediately. Do not leave the baby. Take him or her with you to the phone Continue with the cycles of back slaps and chest thrusts until help arrives Complications Once the baby’s airway is cleared, some of the material that caused the blockage [More…]