Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

3 Airway and Breathing

Foreign Body Airway Obstruction – Choking A foreign body completely blocking the airway is a true emergency that will result in death if not treated immediately. In adults, this usually occurs when eating. In children it happens while eating, playing with small toys, or finding and putting small objects in their mouths. A normal healthy child that suddenly develops difficulty breathing probably has a foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) until proven otherwise. In an unconscious person, the most common airway obstruction is the tongue, which relaxes and falls back into the throat. Other causes of airway obstruction do not involve foreign bodies in the airway. They include swelling from infections, severe allergic reactions, or damaged tissue from a traumatic injury. For these conditions, provide first aid based on the illness or injury and activate 911 and get help quickly.

Obstruction from a foreign body can result in a partial airway obstruction or a severe airway obstruction. A person with a partial airway obstruction is still able to breathe but with varying levels of effectiveness. They will usually have noisy breathing and may be coughing. Assess the patient for adequate breathing and adequate volume of air exchange. A patient with good air exchange is still able to cough forcibly. There may be wheezing (whistling sounds) during breathing. Wheezing is most common in partial and/or lower airway obstruction.

a patient with an airway obstruction

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