Female Focus
Page 25
FF - Your Magazine
This information brought to you by Asociacion Amigos Europeos de Javea If someone is CHOKING here is what to do
Choking is when your airway gets blocked and you cannot breathe properly. When someone chokes, the airway can either be partly or fully blocked. If it is a mild blockage, they should be able to clear it themselves by coughing. But if it is a severe blockage, they won’t be able to cough, so without anyone’s help they will become unresponsive.
But if they do become unresponsive, their throat muscles could relax and open the airway enough for you to give rescue breaths ‒ so be prepared to give rescue breaths and chest compressions.
What to look for: If you think someone is choking, ask them loudly: “Are you choking?” to check they’re not suffering from something else. Can they speak, cry, cough or breathe? If they can, they should be able to clear their throat on their own by coughing, so encourage them to cough. If they cannot cough or make any noise, the situation is serious and you will need to help clear their throat by using the following steps:
Step 1. Cough it out. Encourage them to cough. If this doesn’t clear the obstruction, support their upper body with one hand and help them to lean forward, so that you can move to the next step.
Step 2. Slap it out. If coughing doesn’t work, help the person bend forward. Use the heel of your hand to give up to five sharp back blows between their shoulder blades. Check their mouth to see if
there’s anything in there and, if there is, get them to pick it out.
Step 3. Squeeze it out. If back blows don’t work, give up to five abdominal thrusts.
Stand behind them. Link your hands between their tummy button and the bottom of their chest, with your lower hand clenched in a fist.
Pull sharply inwards and upwards.
Step 4. Call for help. If they are still choking, if you are a member call Asociacion Amigos Europeos de Javea immediately on 96 579 6099 (24hr). If you are not a member call 112.
The Asociacion Amigos Europeos de Javea (AAEdJ) is a Private Ambulance Service available 24/7 all 365 days of the year, covering almost all of Costa Blanca North. The ambulances from AAEdJ are fully equipped and give the best chance of rapid attention. Wherever a member is taken ill, whether it is at home or elsewhere, an AAEdJ ambulance will rush to you, give emergency assistance and then speed you to the most appropriate hospital for your condition.
Continue Steps 2 and 3. Once you have telephoned, continue Steps 2 and 3 – back blows and abdominal thrusts – until what’s in there has cleared, or help arrives or the person becomes unresponsive. If they become unresponsive at any stage, open their airway and check their breathing. If they’re not breathing, start chest compressions and rescue breaths (CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to try to release whatever’s stuck in there. If you wish to learn more about CPR please refer to the July issue of Female Focus where AAEdJ wrote about this topic.
Be Prepared.
Few people think a severe choking episode will happen to them or one of their family. But given how fast unforeseen events like this can happen, it’s something everyone should think about. Advance planning may end up making a big difference. The Asociacion Amigos Europeos de Javea ambulance service covers almost all of Costa Blanca North and will come straight to you wherever you are.
Call now and speak with Laure Bolufer (Registration Manager) on 96 579 6099 and get yourself and your family protected. Laure works from 10am to 1pm every weekday. Membership for YOU AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY costs JUST 50€ FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. Being a member can save a life.
ASOCIACION AMIGOS EUROPEOS DE JAVEA.
Avenida Juan Carlos 1, No 69, 03730 Javea, Telephone 96 579 6099 (24 hr) Email:
amigos_europeos@yahoo.es.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60