We are not aware, but choking is the third leading cause of unnatural death in Spain, ahead of traffic accidents
More than 2,000 people die from choking every year in Spain. In fact, choking is the third cause of unnatural death in our country, even ahead of traffic accidents.
In the last few hours, the sister of the former Vice President of the Government, Rodrigo Rato, has died in Madrid at the age of 80 due to a choking while having lunch in a restaurant in Madrid. Although the emergency services quickly arrived at the restaurant, nothing could be done to save his life.
We have also learned that a National Police agent has saved the life of a woman after choking in a restaurant in Malaga.
These situations highlight the importance of knowing how to practice Heimlich maneuvera first aid technique that we should all know for the serious clearing of the airway, which is usually blocked by foreign bodies.
The foods that most cause choking in children
How do you explain the Spanish Society of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC), choking is the most common cause of accidents in children. and they are the second cause of death in the age group between 1 and 3 years.
- “The risk is determined by particular anatomical and functional characteristics of the structures of the upper aerodigestive tract as a consequence of growth and maturation.”
Child choking can arise both from the ingestion of objects and from food, which specialists advise against in children under 5 years of age.
As the SEORL-CCC specialists emphasize, the sausages They are, together with candies, the foods that cause the most episodes of suffocation. For this reason, it is advisable to serve them “always cut lengthwise and not sliced”.
The nuts They are another of the foods that most children choke. However, it is recommended “not to give children under 5 or 6 years of age any type of unground dried fruit due to the high risk that exists.” The same goes for the popcornwhich should be avoided until the age of 5, since the corn kernels can enter the respiratory tract and cause suffocation.
Choking symptoms
- Cough.
- Labored breathing.
- Inability to speak or, in the case of children, to cry or make any sound.
- Blue discoloration of the skin due to difficulty breathing.
- loss of consciousness
With the Christmas around the corner, the grapes they become one of the most dangerous foods that can even lead to death. Doctors advise removing the skin, as well as the seeds, and offering them in several lengthwise pieces to reduce the risk of choking.
However, this does not mean that an accident can occur in people of any age. And of the consequences that it can cause, although children and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
If you do not act quickly, and perform the Heimlich maneuver, there is a moderate risk of brain damage between 4 and 6 minutes. Between 6 and 10 minutes, the probability of brain damage increases considerably. And after 10 minutes, the increase in brain death grows. And in the worst case, death.
Guide to Doing the Heimlich Maneuver
It is essential to act quickly and correctly, which can save a life. The first and most urgent: call 112. Once the toilets have been alerted, they must intervene while waiting for the ambulance.
“First of all, the person who is choking has to cough. You have to try to get the body to expel what obstructs breathing. In the event that the patient cannot, we must start resuscitation& rdquor ;, explains the doctor Juan Antonio Rodildoctor of the Urgent Medical Care Service.
Instead, if the patient cannot cough, the Heimlich maneuver should be performed.
- “The person is taken by the armpits, we place a fist above the navel and we put the other hand on top, pressing inwards and upwards until the object that is obstructing the respiratory tract comes out”, emphasizes the doctor.
It is a maneuver that “is not complicated at all, you have to lose your fear of doing any maneuver, it is best to act before the doctors arrive & rdquor ;.