Reception of Heimlich in children under 1 year of age and older. Execution technique

Carrying out Heimlich's reception for adults or children shows high efficiency in the presence of foreign body in the airway. The method allows you to restore vital functions, avoid serious complications and bring a person to consciousness.

General description of the Heimlich trick

Reception Heimlich in children or adults is an emergency technique used to eliminate foreign bodies that are in the respiratory tract.

The main indications for conducting:

• bulging eyes, inability to cough or speak, involuntary hand waving;
• the presence of a purple or blue tint of the face due to lack of oxygen;
• mild cough and shortness of breath;
• loss of consciousness;

Oxygen starvation caused by the presence of a foreign object often leads to irreversible degenerative processes that damage parts of the brain. Lack of timely assistance can lead to quick death - up to 4 minutes.

The functional features of the reception are based on the compression of the abdomen below the diaphragmatic region. At the same time, rapid jerking movements are performed to induce an artificial cough. The technique allows air to be pushed out of the lungs, eliminating the foreign body from the trachea.

Heimlich's reception for children and adults was opened in 1974 by the famous American physician Henry Heimlich. Since the technique is easy to learn, it can be performed by anyone who has been instructed in the conduct.

Algorithm of actions

The first step is to assess how much the airway is blocked. If the child is able to cough or make sounds, a partial obstruction of the trachea is diagnosed, it is recommended to ask the person to cough up to remove a foreign object.

If the child cannot cough, speak and hold on to his throat, an emergency Heimlich reception is necessary:

1. Stand behind the victim, if he has not lost consciousness and is on his feet, at the same time clasping the body with his hands.
2. Squeeze the hand into a fist from the side of the thumb and place it on the child's stomach, in the area between the ribs and the navel.
3. With the other hand, clench a fist and quickly make a few jerky movements, pressing the palm into the stomach. At the same time, the arms are bent at the elbow joint to eliminate excess pressure on the chest.
4. Repeat the technique until the foreign object is removed.

As the function of the trachea is restored and air is supplied, the muscle tissue of the child relaxes, which contributes to the rapid expulsion of a foreign object.

In the case of a complete release of the airways, the natural rate of breathing is restored, the purple or blue tint of the face disappears. Blood pressure is normalized, the person comes to a clear consciousness.

For children and overweight people

The peculiarity of performing the technique for obese people is the distinctive placement of the hands. Instead of jerking movements in the abdominal region, the fists place emphasis on the thoracic region. The palms are located below the middle of the chest, the movements do not occur up, but down.

Due to the presence of a fat layer, this feature allows you to create additional pressure using kinetic energy. Applying the technique in the usual way will not give any result.

Reception of Heimlich in children over 1 year old is performed in the same way as in adults. The main difference is making the movements lighter to reduce the risk of injury to the sternum, ribs, or internal organs.

Self help

If the child realizes, understands and assimilates the spoken words as an adult, it is recommended to teach him the independent technique of performing the technique. This will avoid serious complications in the event that there is no person nearby who can help.

Algorithm of actions for self-help in the presence of a foreign body in the airways:

1. Clench your hand tightly into a fist.
2. Place your fist between your ribs and navel with your thumb down.
3. Fix the fist with the other hand.
4. Using a quick upward thrust, press the hand into the abdominal region.
5. Repeat the action until the foreign body is removed.

Instead of a hand, you can use any horizontal objects with a flat surface. To do this, you need to rest on an object in the intercostal region, and then make a push upward movement.

Heimlich method if a child is unconscious

If the child begins to lose consciousness or is unconscious, the following steps must be taken:

1. Put the baby on its back. It is important to provide a flat and comfortable surface.
2. Bend the collars to make sure there is no blockage of the airway with the tongue.
3. Place both hands between the navel and the lower chest area.
4. Perform a set of 5 quick jerk movements.
5. Raise your chin by touching your mouth for a foreign object with your fingers.

A set of actions is performed until the trochea is cleared. Progressive arm movements should resemble the technique of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

If the child cannot breathe calmly even after pushing out a foreign object, it is necessary to do light artificial respiration of the pressure bases on the chest region.

Helping small children under one year old

Reception of Heimlich is prohibited for children under 1 year old, since in this case there is a high risk of injury to the child's bone tissue with high pressure in the chest or abdominal region. Instead, it is necessary to use a technique characterized by kickbacks and blows.

Algorithm for emergency care for infants in the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract:

Step	Description
I	Sit up straight and place the baby face down on the hip while supporting the baby with one hand.
II	With the other hand, make 8-10 quick taps in the area of ​​the shoulder blades.
III	Turn the child face up and make 5 light blows in the central part of the sternum until the trachea is completely released.

If a foreign body has entered the oral cavity, it must be removed in time to eliminate the possibility of re-entering the trachea. It is not recommended to get the object directly from the throat because of the high chance of further pushing it deeper.

In the absence of breathing in the infant, it is necessary to carry out pulmonary ventilation:

1. Place the child on a firm, level surface. Raise your legs approximately 60 °.
2. Diagnose the respiratory tract and oral cavity for the presence of foreign body residues. It is recommended to feel the trachea from the outside, using light finger movements.
3. Tilt your head back slightly and fix the child's forehead. With the other hand, you need to push the lower part of the jaw forward.
4. Conduct a visual assessment of breathing for 5 seconds. If the respiratory function has not recovered, slowly and carefully take small breaths into the nasal and oral cavity, lasting from 1.5 to 2 seconds. Actions are performed until the child's chest begins to rise. The infant is forbidden to exhale the full volume of the lungs due to the high chance of rupture of internal tissues.
5. Wait 3-5 seconds. for the complete exit of air from the lungs. The process is accompanied by the lowering of the chest.
6. Take a second breath. If, after 5 attempts, breathing is not restored, it is necessary to start chest compressions.

The main thing when working with babies is to measure the strength of the impact or push movements. If the baby is several months old, it is better to use a little pressure on the chest area.

Features of performing the Heimlich trick when drowning

Heimlich's reception in children or adults can be performed in the event of drowning. As long as the fluid is inside the airways and lungs, the required amount of oxygen will not be able to enter the body.

If the victim is on a flat surface, you must do a number of the following:

1. Turn the victim onto their back.
2. Turn your head to one side so that excess water flows out of the oral cavity.
3. Sit in front of the victim's head.
4. Cross your arms so that the bottom of your palm rests on the area slightly below the ribs.
5. Perform 5 pushing movements using the entire body weight. If this is a child, the actions must be carried out more slowly and carefully.

Algorithm of Heimlich's reception in the case when the victim is standing in shallow water or in a pool is practically no different from the classical method. The main difference is provoking a rapid release of fluid from the body. From the back position, while grasping the victim with two hands, the actions are performed alternately - down and up to create a vacuum inside the respiratory tract.

Since the weight of a person who is in the water is less than on land, emergency actions must be performed more easily, without squeezing too much organs or bones.

Heimlich's reception for pregnant women

A modification of the Heimlich method for pregnant women was developed in order to minimize harm to the fetus.

Step-by-step execution technique:

1. Grasp a pregnant woman from behind.
2. Cross your arms in the abdominal region, under the base of the thoracic region.
3. Perform jerking movements up to 5 times per approach, without squeezing the body too much.

Any movements are performed in the same way as in the classical method. The main feature is the correct body position. The victim must be tilted forward slightly to reduce pressure and pressure. When performing the Heimlich technique for pregnant women, it is forbidden to put the woman on her stomach.

Warnings, Precautions, and Tips

If the child begins to cry, cough or talk while suffocating with a foreign object, the appointment is not performed. After the performed actions, it must be taken to the hospital to check the respiratory tract for damage and diagnostic measures aimed at structural analysis of internal organs.

More than 60% of choking cases occur at home, which is why every parent should know how to correctly and effectively perform an appointment without the help of medical professionals. Timely execution of the technique increases the chances of a favorable outcome.

The World Health Organization has established a basic procedure to be followed in the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract:

1. Allow the victim to clear their throat. Cough is the only reaction of the internal systems of the body, which is aimed at removing a foreign object from the respiratory tract. In half of the cases, this is sufficient to eliminate the foreign object.
2. Make sure that it is necessary to make an appointment. If, after tapping and coughing, the person does not feel any improvement, it is necessary to proceed with the emergency technique. Attention is drawn to the blue skin tone and bulging eyes.
3. Ask to call an ambulance. If there is no one nearby, you must call the service yourself. It should be remembered that every second is important when choking, therefore you need to act quickly.
4. Learn how to perform the reception yourself, conduct detailed instructions for children and adults. Such a recommendation will help to avoid negative complications or death from suffocation.
5. Do not panic. It is necessary to be ready to provide emergency assistance to the victim, to act clearly and consistently based on a step-by-step algorithm.

It is recommended that objects such as coins, buttons, small parts of toys and any other objects that can fit into the mouth should be removed from the child's field of vision. When consuming grapes, popcorn, candy or nuts, the child should be monitored closely.

When using the technique, it is necessary to maintain firmness and calmness, which will allow the necessary emergency method to be carried out in a timely manner. At the same time, it is recommended to call an ambulance.

If it doesn't help

In the absence of the effectiveness of Heimlich's reception, it is necessary to use another emergency technique - conicotomy. Its application shows high efficiency in case of loss of consciousness, blue discoloration of the victim's entire skin, or in the absence of signs of life. The main goal of the technique is to supply the respiratory tract and lungs with air.

This requires:

1. Find the area between the thyroid and cricoid cartilage using your index finger.
2. Press the cartilage tissue with the index and thumb to eliminate unnecessary movement.
3. Take a scalpel or any other sharp object in your other hand. Step back 2 cm from the found area and make a transverse cut, the length of which is from 1 to 1.5 cm.
4. Introduce the tracheal dilator into the hole.
5. Install the medical air supply tubing and tighten securely.

In especially critical situations, when other methods do not help, kynikotomy is performed - this is a relatively safe and effective technique that can save a person's life.

During the medical implementation of the technique, gloves, antiseptics, pain relievers and additional drugs are used to maintain respiratory function. If there are none, and the patient is losing vitality, you should use the available tools.

Risks and consequences

Incorrect application of the Heimlich technique can provoke various complications, including bone fracture and damage to internal organs. When performing, it is forbidden to pull a foreign object out of the trachea.

After the reception, a person often has some difficulty in swallowing, swelling of the lung tissue or fluid accumulation develops. Symptomatic manifestations are temporary and disappear without a trace after a few days.

If it was not possible to eliminate a foreign object from the respiratory tract in time, the following complications in the child may develop:

• developmental delay;
• neurological disorders;
• edematous processes in the brain;
• hypertension of the lung tissue;
• ischemic diseases and necrosis;
• disorders of the cardiovascular system;
• increased risk of kidney failure;
• the risk of developing epileptic seizures in the future;
• metabolic disorders and fatigue;
• convulsion, dizziness, persistent fainting;
• blue discoloration of the upper layers of the skin.

Most complications are irreversible for the body. In more than 80% of cases, the development of chronic hypoxia or lack of oxygen in the brain is observed.

Emergency care using the Heimlich technique in adults or children is a highly effective method for avoiding most serious complications, including rapid death. The main thing is to carefully follow the step-by-step instructions and other recommendations.

Video about Heimlich's reception

What to do if a child chokes: