CHOKING INFANT What did we learn about coughing? (Coughing helps.)
Coughing is good; coughing helps! If an infant you are with puts something in their mouth and begins to cough, stay with them, and be ready to rescue them if they stop coughing and cannot breathe.
Fall down stairs that are not protected by a safety gate? (Toddlers.) Chew on medication thinking it is candy? (Preschoolers.)
VIDEO: POISONING
Choking Infant Rescue should be used on a child under 1 year old. Just like with Choking Child Rescue, you need to take action if the infant is unable to breathe or make any noise; is making a gagging sound or high pitched noise; or is turning pale, blue, or gray. To rescue a choking infant, instead of doing abdominal thrusts, you are going to perform back blows and chest thrusts.
Poisoning is a danger for three of the four age groups. Let’s watch this Babysitter Boss video to learn more about poisoning.
We’re going to start by watching the Choking Infant Rescue video. Then, we’ll go through the steps as a group. [Play the Safe Sitter® Choking Infant Rescue Video.]
Do any of you have an allergy or know someone who is allergic to something? Allergies are very common, and it’s important to be aware of the allergies of those around you, including friends, neighbors, and children you are babysitting. Why would you want to be aware that a friend, neighbor, or child you babysit has an allergy?
PRACTICE [Students practice on infant manikin.]
[So that you can help them avoid the allergen, and therefore prevent an allergic reaction.]
Students practice on imaginary infants. What does an allergic reaction look like?
[It could look very different, depending on the severity of the allergy: runny nose and itchy eyes, wheezing, hives, difficulty breathing, even loss of consciousness or shock.]
[Graphic: Make Your Call]
Talk students through each step as students practice together using imaginary infants. This will help students practice the positioning of the leg ramp and their arms and hands as they support the head and neck of the infant.
One of the most important things that you will learn today is the system that Safe Sitters use to assess an injury/illness to determine who should handle it. Safe Sitters decide who should handle any injury or health problem based on the seriousness and urgency of the problem.
Step 1. Allow the infant to cough. Do not pat or slap the infant on the back.
What does “serious” mean? (The situation is more than the sitter can handle; outside help is needed.)
What does “urgent” mean? (Help is needed right away.)
• Coughing is not choking. Coughing is the body’s defense against airway trespassers like solids or liquids. Choking occurs when coughing fails to remove the blockage and air cannot move past the blockage into or out of the lungs. The body cannot get rid of the blockage without help.
• Choking is a THREAT TO LIFE that requires immediate action.
• Patting or slapping on the back while infant is upright may cause the object to go further down into the airway.
Step 2. Prepare to give back blows and chest thrusts if the infant becomes unable to cough or talk, or if cough becomes very weak.
• If there is a THREAT TO LIFE, call 9-1-1 because this is both serious and urgent.
UPDATED 2023
• If it is a significant injury or illness, ask a back-up adult to come help, because the situation is serious but not urgent.
• If it is a minor problem, handle it yourself because the situation is
• Back blows and chest thrusts are safer for infants than abdominal thrusts.
SAFE SITTER® INSTRUCTOR MANUAL | PAGE 43
I’m going to go through the steps on how to rescue an infant who is choking. Follow along with me using your own manikin. [Read each step below as participants practice on t heir manikins. Emphasize the bulleted points as you discuss.]
• Students should be in groups of no more than 8 students per group. • Students should be seated on the edge of a chair with their legs out in front of them, forming a ramp.
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