Two deaths from choking in the space of a few days have highlighted a danger that is often underestimated. A 10-year-old boy died after choking during breakfast in Puebla de la Reina, in Badajoz, and two days earlier a 65-year-old man died after choking in a restaurant in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, near Barcelona.
Choking — the blocking of the airway by food or an object — causes hundreds of deaths in Spain every year. The groups most at risk are young children, whose airways are small and who are still learning to chew, and older people, who may have swallowing difficulties.
The riskiest foods
Paediatricians warn about foods that are round, hard, slippery or sticky:
- Whole grapes and cherry tomatoes: exactly the right size to block a child’s airway.
- Sausages cut into rounds: the coin shape can seal the windpipe.
- Nuts: not recommended for children under five or six.
- Hard sweets and popcorn.
- Raw carrot and apple in hard chunks.
- Large pieces of meat, especially for older adults.
Simple changes make a big difference: cut grapes into quarters lengthwise, slice sausages lengthwise rather than into rounds, and grate raw vegetables for young children.
Prevention
- Children should always eat sitting down and supervised.
- Avoid eating while walking, running, laughing or playing.
- Older adults should eat slowly, in small mouthfuls, and dentures should fit well.
What to do
If the person can cough or speak, the obstruction is partial. Encourage them to keep coughing and don’t hit them on the back.
If they cannot breathe, speak or cough:
- Call 112.
- Give up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades, with the person leaning forward.
- If that fails, perform the Heimlich manoeuvre: stand behind them, place a fist just above the navel, grasp it with the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards. Repeat up to five times.
- Alternate back blows and abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or help arrives.
- If the person loses consciousness, start CPR.
Babies under one year need a different technique, using back blows and chest compressions instead of abdominal thrusts.
Learn first aid
Organisations such as the Red Cross run short first-aid courses that teach these techniques. A few hours of training can make the difference between life and death in the minutes before an ambulance arrives.
