134 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2024 that the person’s upper body is as close to parallel to the ground as possible. For an infant, support the baby’s head, neck, and body securely on your forearm with mouth between your thumb and fingers; keep the head lower than the chest by resting your forearm on your knee. After you are positioned properly, firmly strike the person between the shoulder blades with the heel of one hand. 3. Give five abdominal thrusts if the object is still lodged. For an adult and child, have him or her stand up straight. Stand behind the person with one foot in front of the other for balance (or kneel if person is a child), and wrap your arms around the person’s waist. Using two fingers, find the person’s navel. With the other hand, make a fist and place the thumb side against the person’s stomach, right above the two fingers. Then cover the fist with the other hand. Pull inward and upward to give an abdominal thrust. For an infant, turn him or her to face upward on your other forearm with the head and neck supported in your hand, while continuing to keep the head lower than the chest. For an infant abdominal thrust, place two to three fingers just below the nipple line, and compress the breastbone about one and a half inches. 4. Continue giving sets of five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the person can cough forcefully, speak, cry or breathe, or if the person becomes unresponsive. PREVENTING CHOKING No parent wants to witness their child choking, so prevention is important. The Hawai’i Red Cross lists the following choking hazards that should be kept out of reach of children’s curious hands: • Small foods, such as nuts, seeds, and popcorn RESPONDING TO A CHOKING CHILD Thankfully, some simple actions can assist a choking child – or even an adult. The Hawai‘i Red Cross graciously supplied these simple steps to respond if a conscious child is choking: 1. Verify that the person is choking by asking him or her to speak. If the person can speak or is coughing forcefully, encourage him or her to keep coughing. If the person is unable to speak or coughing weakly, send someone to call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number, and obtain an AED and first aid kit. 2. Give five back blows. For an adult, position yourself to the side and slightly behind the person, and for a child, kneel next to him or her. Place one arm diagonally across the person’s chest to support him or her and bend the person at the waist so While your child is excitedly exploring new foods and learning with new toys, always take proper preventative actions to ensure his or her safety. “Choking is a leading accidental cause of injury or death among children eating, chewing gum, or sucking on lollipops.”
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