Relief of Choking in
Victims 1 Year of Age
and Older
Kathleen Blair-Harmon, RN
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Relief of Choking
This presentation will discuss common
causes of choking and actions to relieve
choking – also known as foreign-body
airway obstruction (FBAO)
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Relief of Choking
Learning Objective:
At the completion of this presentation the
participant will be able to show how to relieve
choking in the responsive and unresponsive
victim over 1 year of age.
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Relief of Choking
• The key to a successful outcome is the
early recognition of an airway obstruction.
• Foreign bodies can cause either mild or
severe airway obstruction
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Relief of Choking
• Signs of mild airway obstruction are:
– Good air exchange
– Responsive and can cough forcefully
– May wheeze between coughs
• As long as good air exchange continues, simply
encourage the victim to continue spontaneous coughing
and breathing efforts.
– Do not interfere with the victim’s attempts to expel
the foreign body
– Stay with the victim and monitor the situation
– If the mild obstruction persists, activate the
emergency response system (911)
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Relief of Choking
It is important to recognize the signs and
symptoms of a severe airway obstruction.
• Poor or no air exchange
• Weak ineffective cough or no cough
• High-pitched noise while inhaling/no noise at all
• Increased respiratory difficulty
• Cyanosis
• Unable to speak
• Making the universal choking sign
• Unable to move air
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Relief of Choking
Universal Choking Sign
Clutching the neck with the thumb and
fingers
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Relief of Choking
Step 1:
Ask, "Are you choking?" Stay calm, and
try to keep the victim calm as well.
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Relief of Choking
Step 2:
It is best to point to a specific
person and tell him to call
911. Instruct the person to
tell the operator that someone
is choking. Don't just call out
for anyone to call 911, as
bystanders may freeze or
panic in emergency situations.
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Abdominal Thrusts
Step 3: Position yourself behind the choking
person.
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Relief of Choking
Step 4: Place the thumb
side of your fist against
the victim’s abdomen,
in the midline, slightly
above the navel and
well below the
breastbone.
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Relief of Choking
Step 5: Grab your fist with your other
hand and press your fist into
the victim’s abdomen with a
quick upward thrust.
Give each thrust with
a separate and distinct
movement
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Relief of Choking
Step 6: Repeat thrusts until the object is
expelled from the airway or the victim
becomes unresponsive.
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Relief of Choking
• If a choking victim becomes unresponsive,
you know that choking caused the
symptoms.
• Activate 911, open the airway, remove the
object if you see it, and begin CPR.
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Relief of Choking
• If you are alone with a child choking victim
that becomes unresponsive, open
the airway, remove the object
is you see it, and begin CPR.
After about 5 cycles, or 2 minutes
of CPR, activate 911 if this has
not already been done.
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Relief of Choking
• For both the adult and child victims, look
for an object each time you go to give a
breath. If you see an object, remove it
with your fingers. If you do not see an
object, keep doing CPR.
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Relief of Choking
If the victim is pregnant or obese,
perform chest thrusts instead
of abdominal thrusts.
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Relief of Choking
You can tell you have successfully removed
an airway obstruction if you
• Feel air movement and see the chest rise
when you give breaths
• See and remove a foreign body from the
pharynx
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Relief of Choking
Any
Questions?
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Thank
You
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