Choking

When a child is choking, it means that an object — usually food or a toy — is lodged in the trachea (the airway) and is keeping air from flowing normally into or out of the lungs.

The trachea is usually protected by a small flap of cartilage called the epiglottis. The trachea and the esophagus share an opening at the back of the throat, and the epiglottis acts like a lid, snapping shut over the trachea each time a person swallows. It allows food to pass down the esophagus and prevents it from going down the trachea.

But every once in a while, the epiglottis doesn't close fast enough and an object can slip into the trachea. This is what happens when something goes "down the wrong pipe."

Most of the time, the food or object only partially blocks the trachea and it's likely that it will be coughed up and that breathing will be restored easily. A child who seems to be choking and coughing but is still able to breathe and talk probably will recover unassisted. It can be uncomfortable and upsetting, but the child is generally fine after a few seconds.

Sometimes, though, an object can get into the trachea and completely block the airway. If airflow is blocked into and out of the lungs, and the brain is deprived of oxygen, choking can become a life-threatening emergency. A child could become unconscious and sustain brain damage.

A child may be choking and need help right away if he or she:

• is unable to breathe
• is gasping or wheezing
• is unable to talk, cry, or make noise
• changes color from bright red to blue
• grabs at his or her throat or waves arms
• appears panicked

In those cases, immediately start the Heimlich maneuver, the standard rescue procedure for choking, if you've been trained to do it properly.

If you have kids, it's important to get trained in both cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich maneuver. Even if you don't have kids, knowing how to perform these will let you help if you're ever in a situation where someone is choking.

The Heimlich Maneuver

The idea of the Heimlich maneuver is that a sudden burst of air forced upward through the trachea from the diaphragm will dislodge a foreign object and send it flying up into (or even out of) the mouth.

Though the Heimlich maneuver is a pretty simple process, it must be performed with caution, especially on young children. It's safest when done by someone trained to perform it. If it's done the wrong way, the choking person — especially a baby or child — could be hurt. There's a special version of the Heimlich maneuver just for infants that is designed to lower the risk of injury to their small bodies.

The Heimlich maneuver and CPR are usually taught as part of basic first-aid courses, which are offered by YMCAs, hospitals, and local chapters of the American Heart Association (AHA).

What to Do

Keep in mind that 911 should be called for any critical choking situation.