If you were doing the abdominal thrusts on someone your own age or an adult, you’d have to put your arms under their arms just to reach around their belly. Even though you may be a lot bigger than a small child, by putting your arms under their arms, you’ll be able to use enough inward and upward force for your thrusts to work.
6. What if the object comes up but is still in the mouth? It’s important to check to see if there is anything in the mouth. If you see an object, carefully remove it with your fingers. Be sure you can get your fingers around the object to avoid pushing it back down into the airway.
7. How do I know how hard to hit with back blows or push for chest thrusts or abdominal thrusts? Can I hurt them? It depends on the size of the infant/child. The smaller the child, the more gentle you need to be. But you need to be quick and forceful enough to make the back blows and abdominal thrusts work!
Yes, if you were not being forceful enough to do any good (save the child) or if you pushed too hard, you might injure the child. It is more likely you’ll injure the child from being in the wrong position than from the forcefulness of the thrust. And if you do nothing for fear of hurting the child, the child could die!
8. What if the child throws up afterwards? It is most likely that the child WILL throw up afterwards! Stay calm and help the child to stay calm. Focus on the child – not the vomit or the smell. Help the child clean up and then take the child with you to call the parent.
9. What if the back blows/chest thrusts or abdominal thrusts do not work? Do not give up! As the child becomes weaker, the muscles relax and the back blows/chest thrusts or abdominal thrusts may be more effective. If you are unable to get the object up, the child will lose consciousness because the child’s brain hasn’t gotten enough oxygen. If the child loses consciousness, gently lower the child to the ground and call 9-1-1. If the infant is small enough, you can carry the infant to make the call. 9-1-1 will talk you through what to do (CPR). If you rescue a choking child quickly, you won’t need to do CPR because you’ll get the object out before the child stops breathing. But without your immediate help, the child could die.
10. What if I was alone and choked on a piece of food? If you are alone, place the thumb side of your own fist slightly above your belly button and well below the lower tip of your breastbone. Press your belly against the edge of a sink or table or back of a chair. If anyone else comes into the room, communicate to others that you are choking by placing your hands on your neck, which tells others “I am choking.”
PAGE 42 | SAFE SITTER®
INSTRUCTOR MANUAL
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