Emergency treatment of the choking child

Pediatrics
|July 1, 1982
PubMed

Insights

Back blows and chest thrusts are recommended for relieving foreign body airway obstruction in children. This technique aims to create pressure to dislodge the obstruction, avoiding abdominal thrusts and blind finger sweeps.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Emergency Medicine
  • First Aid

Background:

  • Foreign body airway obstruction is a common emergency in infants and children.
  • Current recommendations for relief vary, necessitating clear guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the recommended technique for relieving foreign body airway obstruction in pediatric patients.
  • To emphasize the combination of back blows and chest thrusts.

Main Methods:

  • The study endorses a technique involving four back blows followed by four chest thrusts.
  • Specific positioning for infants (face down, head lower) and older children (across thighs) is described.
  • Back blows are delivered with the heel of the hand; chest thrusts mimic external cardiac compression.

Main Results:

  • This combined approach is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, and National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council.
  • The technique aims to generate sufficient pressure to expel foreign bodies from the airway.
  • Abdominal thrusts and blind finger sweeps are explicitly not recommended.

Conclusions:

  • The combination of back blows and chest thrusts is the preferred method for pediatric foreign body airway obstruction.
  • Familiarity with these resuscitation techniques is crucial for healthcare professionals and the public.
  • Avoiding certain maneuvers like abdominal thrusts is key to safe and effective intervention.

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