CHOKING on food is one the leading reasons for going to a hospital ER in Spain over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Medics say that the chance of a suffering a cardiac arrest in a choking situation can be reduced if people know how to use the Heimlich manoeuvre.
Carolina Colomer, clinical director of the Vithas Valencia Consuelo said that ‘time is crucial’ if somebody is choking.
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“Lack of oxygen for more than five minutes can cause irreversible brain damage, and if it exceeds 10 minutes, the risk of brain death is very high,” Colomer warned.
She says knowing ‘the basic manoeuvres in such cases should always complement and but never be a substitute for professional health care, as they not only save a life, but prevent neurological damage’.
The most frequent problems of not dealing with choking include ‘epileptic seizures, movement disorders, sensory-motor alterations, visual disturbances, changes in consciousness and cognitive problems’.
Javier Piñango, Nursing Supervisor at the Vithas Valencia Turia Hospital, said that the Heimlich manoeuvre should only be used when there is a ‘complete airway obstruction when the person cannot speak, cough, or breathe and shows clear signs of choking’.
He explained the technique consists of ‘performing rapid abdominal thrusts to generate pressure and help expel the object blocking the airway’.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, choking is the third-leading cause of non-natural death in Spain.
The risk increases now due to typical holiday foods—fish bones, large pieces of meat, Christmas sweets, or the traditional eating of grapes—especially we people eat, drink, and talk at the same time.
Though choking can happen to anybody, the risk is especially high for children aged between one and five years
Dr. Sonia Perez, a pediatrician at the Vithas Valencia 9 de Octubre Hospital, said “Young children children don’t yet have all the teeth they need to chew properly; their swallowing reflex is still developing, and they aren’t aware of the danger of choking.”
She also reminded that, at this time of year, it’s crucial to look out for small parts in toys and balloons.
“The smaller they are, the greater the risk, because if they are inhaled, the rubber seal can become lodged in the airway, making them very difficult to remove,” she warned.
The specialist insists on avoiding offering children foods that pose risk.
“Nuts should not be given whole or in pieces. The same goes for hard candies or certain nougats. In the case of grapes, it is important to remove the seeds and cut them into small pieces.”
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