CPR and Choking Emergencies

Scenario 1 -

Susie is an 2 year old child who attends a daycare where there are 6 children and 2 teachers in her classroom.  One day during snack time, Susie starts to choke. 

 Proper emergency procedures

            - Encourage Susie to cough, if she is coughing then she is still able to breathe.

            - If she is not coughing, stand behind her with both of your hands around her waist.

            - Direct another adult or older child to call 911.

            - Make a fist with your thumb closest to their stomach and place it above the belly button             but below her ribs.

            - Grab your fist with the other hand and begin trusting inward and upward quickly.

            - Alternating the above technique with back slaps should dislodge the object. 

            - If abdominal thrusts and back slaps do not work, CPR is the next step. 

 Advanced planning is the best way to respond to or prevent an emergency situation always.  If you and your staff are properly trained on how to deal with an emergency situation then all emergency situations will run smoothly and will be resolved quickly.  Proper training could save a child's life when it comes to knowing how to help a choking child.  If a teacher is prepared and knows what to do if a child is choking they can act on the situation with leadership and confidence.  In this particular scenario, knowing how to appropriately handle a choking child as well as CPR skills are the necessary skills that are needed in order to prevent or positively resolve this emergency.   

I think that in this particular case, teachers need to be prepared on when calling 911 is appropriate as well as when it is not.  Teachers should also have family emergency contact information readily available so that parents can be contacted quickly when an emergency like this takes place.  With proper training and a plan, this scenario of Susie choking can be handled in a professional manner and can be resolved quickly.  It is important for teachers to be prepared to handle a situation much like Susie's where a child is choking.  This type of situation happens unexpectedly with many different ages of children, being prepared is the key to keeping children alive. 

Work Cited -

Francis, M. (n.d.). What to do when your child is choking. Retrieved from             http://www.parents.com/baby/injuries/choking/what-to-do-when-your-child-is-choking/

Scenario 2 -

Fred is a 4 year old boy who attends daycare where there are 20 children and 2 teachers in his classroom.  Fred lays down during nap time to take a nap and his teacher notices that he stops breathing while she is putting him to sleep.   

Proper emergency procedures

            - Gently tap the Fred and say his name to see if he responds.

            - If there is no response as your co teacher to call 911.

            - Place the heel of your hand on the lower part of the breast bone and push down about 2             inches.

            -Let the chest come back up and repeat 30 times

            - If you are CPR certified tilt Fred's head back and give two rescue breaths into his mouth.

            - continue 30 chest compressions / 2 rescue breathes until Fred is conscious again, emergency             personnel show up, or someone is able to relieve you.

 Advanced planning is often the best way to respond to this type of situation.  Being CPR certified really could save Fred's life in this particular situation.  If a teacher is CPR certified, they would be able to quickly respond to an unconscious child like Fred.  Also, for the teachers to plan ahead in order to know who will be doing CPR and who will be contacting 911 in emergencies like this can save precious seconds of young Fred's life.  In this particular situation both advanced planning and being properly trained play a major role. 

Having a plan for situations like this one with Fred is important.  Also, having the appropriate supplies in order to not spread germs from one person to another during mouth to mouth contact is important.  Have a mouth barrier readily available at all times is important.  During CPR a mouth barrier can potentially save someone's life and can also prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  Family emergency contact information is important to have so that family members can be notified about the situation that their child is in.  

Work Cited -

Robertson, C. (2013). Safety, nutrition and health in early education. (5th ed., p. 182). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.