Emergency First Aid for Children6. Breathing Difficulties

Lungs & BreathingUnderstanding the respiratory system

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Lungs & BreathingDealing with breathing difficulties

Action for breathing difficulty

Even if you do not know the cause of the breathing difficulty, you should:

• Sit the casualty upright and supported

• If they are on medication for breathing problems, get them to take it

• Loosen clothing around the neck

• Try to keep the casualty calm

• If the breathing does not return to normal, seek medical attention

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Lungs & BreathingDealing with breathing difficulties

• Signs & symptoms of collapsed lung and other chest injuries

• History of chest impact or recent illness affecting breathing

• Chest RISES as person breathes out

• Swelling / indentation along line of ribs

• Open fractures

• Difficulty breathing

• Pain on breathing

• Shock (as there is likely to be some internal bleeding)

• Bright red, frothy blood coming from mouth and/or nose

• Sucking wound to the chest

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Lungs & BreathingDealing with breathing difficulties

• KEY POINTS

• Always take ANY breathing difficulty seriously, and watch closely for deterioration

• Swiftly follow basic guidelines for dealing with breathing difficulties, even if you don’t know the root cause of the problem

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Choking

• Unable to speak or cough

• Blue Lips

• Pale blue / ashen skin

• Loss of consciousness

Signs & Symptoms

Pages 23-25

"There are about 16,000 cases of choking every year in the UK with most incidents involving food*. If a blockage completely prevents the flow of air, this can leads to permanent brain damage in about two

minutes and death in about three minutes."

* DTI figures for 1999.

Pages 23-25

Choking – Baby

Check mouth and breathing

Give up to 5 back slaps with baby face down on/along arm

If unsuccessful, use 2 fingers to give 5 sharp chest compressions

Re-check mouth and breathing

Repeat first 4 steps

NOTE

•If there is no improvement after three cycles summon an ambulance.

•If the baby becomes unresponsive at any time you must start CPR.

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Choking – ChildGet the child to cough – if unsuccessful, give the child 5 back slaps. Check their mouth

If unsuccessful, give up to 5 chest thrusts

If still unsuccessful – give up to 5 abdominal thrusts. Re-check mouth.

If unsuccessful – send for help. Repeat back slaps and check mouth.

Check the mouth, open airway, repeat whole sequence if necessary

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NOTE

•If there is no improvement after three cycles summon an ambulance.

•If the child becomes unresponsive at any time you must start CPR.

Choking Child – Abdominal Thrusts

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Choking Child• Important Points

Never blindly sweep a finger inside anyone’s mouth – it may make the obstruction worse.

If the baby or child is still passing air in and out of the lungs, and you know or suspect that an obstruction remains, do nothing and quickly call the emergency services.

If a child has collapsed and is unconscious, and not breathing they may have choked. Start the ABC of resuscitation and if the chest does not move with up to 5 rescue breaths, treat for choking.

Abdominal thrusts are not used at all in babies as they may damage their internal organs.

Pages 23-25

Suffocation

• This occurs when there is an obstruction over the mouth or nose, a weight on the child’s chest, or because the child is breathing in smoke.

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Suffocation

Treatment

• Remove the obstruction as quickly as possible.• Open the airway. Look, listen and feel for any

breathing for up to 10 seconds.• If casualty is breathing, place them in the

recovery position. If not breathing be prepare to resuscitate.

• Call an ambulance

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Asthma

Signs & Symptoms

• Breathing difficulty often accompanied by coughing

• Wheezing on breathing out

• Distress and anxiety

• Tiredness from laboured breathing

• Bluish tinge to face and lips

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It is estimated that 1.5 million children in the UK have asthma - that's one in every seven children.* A young child having an asthma attack will be frightened and need assistance. Unfortunately, there is no outright cure for asthma so the best advice is prevention. For children, this means avoiding allergens which may trigger an attack.

* National Asthma Campaign figures for 1999

Asthma

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Asthma

Treatment• Ensure the room is well ventilated and

smoke-free• Help the casualty to relax. Sit them dowm

with arms resting on a table or sit them on your lap. Reassure them as they may be frightened.

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AsthmaTaking Medication

• If the casualty has medication, let them use it. Follow the directions carefully. The attack should ease.

If this is a first attack, call a doctor.

If the attack is severe or does not respond to medication, call an ambulance.

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Emergency First Aid for Children

End of Section