<P>A variety of foods and foreign bodies can obstruct a child's airway.
The most common causes of airway obstruction are toys, small parts of toys,
balloons, and foods such as hot dogs, round candies, nuts, and grapes. Airway
obstruction may also occur when illnesses such as epiglottitis or croup
cause the air passages to swell and narrow, but these diseases require medical
attention and will not be relieved by the techniques you are about to learn.</P>
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<H2><FONT COLOR="#f38568">Prevention</FONT></H2>
<P>Many incidents of choking in children can be prevented by following these
guidelines:</P>
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<UL>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Prevent children from walking, running, playing,
or crying with food or foreign objects in their mouths.</FONT>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Keep small objects (marbles, beads, small toys,
thumbtacks, etc) away from infants and preschool children.</FONT>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Serve each infant and child food that is appropriate
for his or her age and size. Avoid nuts, popcorn, and small, hard candies
before age 4.</FONT>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Cut children's food into small pieces.</FONT>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Teach children to chew slowly and thoroughly
and to not laugh and talk while eating.</FONT>
</UL>
<H2><A NAME="anchor589260"></A><FONT COLOR="#f38568">Recognition of Foreign-Body
Airway Obstruction</FONT></H2>
<P>Airway obstruction should be suspected in an infant or child who <B><FONT
COLOR="#ffffff">suddenly</FONT></B> chokes and begins to cough, gag, or
have high-pitched noisy breathing. An older child may also use the "universal
distress signal" of choking: clutching the neck between the thumb and
index finger. You may ask the child if he or she is choking, and the child
may nod.</P>
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<P><A NAME="anchor558529"></A>Airway obstruction may be partial or complete.
In <B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">partial</FONT></B> airway obstruction, air exchange
may be good or poor. The child may be able to cough, although there may
be wheezing between coughs.<I> </I><B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">If a child is
coughing vigorously, the airway is only partially obstructed. Do not attempt
to relieve the obstruction.</FONT></B> As long as air exchange continues
to be good, do not interfere, but take the child to a physician or medical
center.</P>
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<P><B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">Poor air exchange</FONT></B> is characterized
by an ineffective cough, high-pitched noises while inhaling, increasing
breathing difficulty, and blueness of the lips, nails, and skin. When these
signs are observed, treat the infant or child as though he or she has a
complete airway obstruction.</P>
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<P>If the infant or child has a <B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">complete</FONT></B><I>
</I>airway obstruction, no air can be expelled, so he or she will be<B><FONT
COLOR="#ffffff"> unable to make a sound.</FONT></B><I> </I><B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">The
infant or child with complete airway obstruction requires immediate help
to relieve the obstruction.</FONT></B></P>
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<H2><FONT COLOR="#f38568">Maneuvers</FONT></H2>
<P>The maneuvers described in the <A HREF="http://localhost:8032/servlet/lp?url=Book_PBLS/PBLS_entire_text.htx#anchor222576" TARGET="_blank">Performance
Guidelines</A> should be performed when an infant or child demonstrates
<B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">complete</FONT></B> airway obstruction and aspiration
of a foreign body is witnessed or strongly suspected (eg, after attempts
to ventilate fail). The infant or child may be conscious or may lose consciousness
as you begin to help.</P>
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<P>The maneuvers are also appropriate when an unconscious, nonbreathing
child is found and the airway remains obstructed despite attempts to open
it.</P>
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<P>Not all airway obstruction is caused by a foreign object. Infections
may cause airway swelling and obstruction that will not be relieved by the
maneuvers described here. Children with an <B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">infectious</FONT></B>
cause of airway obstruction need prompt medical attention in a hospital's
emergency department, and time should not be wasted on a futile attempt
to relieve the obstruction.<HR ALIGN=LEFT></P>
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<H1><A NAME="anchor120662"></A><FONT COLOR="#eca413">7. The Performance
Guidelines and How to Use Them</FONT></H1>
<P><FONT COLOR="#bafddc">This section provides performance guidelines. These
are designed to help you learn the basic emergency procedures taught in
this course. If your course teaches maneuvers for both infants and children,
you will need to study all the performance guidelines. If you are taking
a course that emphasizes maneuvers for an infant </FONT><B><FONT COLOR="#ffffff">or</FONT></B><FONT
COLOR="#bafddc"> a child, you will need to study only those performance
guidelines that relate to the information presented in your course. If you
have any questions about which guidelines to study, ask your instructor
for help.</FONT></P>
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<P> <FONT COLOR="#bafddc">The performance guidelines will give you
the specific steps necessary to do the following:</FONT></P>