Baby Choking

For First Aid purposes a Baby is considered from birth to one year of age.

If a baby is coughing we do not want to interfere with the cough. The cough is best way to clear the obstruction. If the baby cannot make any sounds then we need to step in and assist.

If need to perform these techniques (even successfully) it is recommended that you have the baby checked out by a Physician to ensure that the object is still in the baby (even if we got something out).

The technique involves 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts which are repeated until the baby starts coughing or crying.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Did You Know?: Workplace Choking

When anything can happen at a moment's notice, it's the acts of Good Samaritans that make a difference. For Nuclear Security Officer (NSO) Nicole Wleklinski, her Good Samaritan (and life saver) was fellow NSO Kevin Sprague. Kevin recently received the Canadian Red Cross Injury Prevention Rescuer Award for the event which transpired on Friday, March 11.


That morning, Nicole was working the MSB search floor. Not feeling well, she decided to take some Advil and vitamins to relieve her headache. As she swallowed them down with some water, she began to choke. The water came back up and she found she could not swallow or breathe. The pills were firmly lodged in her throat.


Shocked at what was happening, Nicole made her way into the side office where NSO Sprague was and began hitting her chest. Kevin immediately noticed something was wrong. He asked her if she was ok. Could she breathe? Could he help? Nicole couldn't speak. At that point, Kevin instructed Nicole he wanted to take off her vest to perform an abdominal thrust. Nicole nodded her agreement and, in just one thrust, the pills came out. Nicole could breathe. Shaken but ok, she declined further medical attention.


Recalling her ordeal, Nicole says, "I have said many thanks to NSO Sprague... I find the way in which he handled himself and the situation was beyond professional. He was so quick and reassuring, I don't know what I would have done had he not been there. I am forever grateful."
Recently, Margaret Maxwell from the Canadian Red Cross presented Kevin with the Canadian Red Cross Injury Prevention Rescuer Award. She stressed the importance of learning first aid to be able to think, react and improvise in emergency situations. 


First Aid & CPR skills are applicable in your daily life, both at home and at work, to prepare you to act on, control and manage life's emergencies. Before a professional responder arrives to help, you can make all the difference in helping someone in need.


Written by: Stacey McNeill | Darlington Nuclear Public Affairs

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Did You Know?: Could you save your Child's Life

Patrick Quinn, a Red Cross first aid instructor in Toronto, teaches people how to save lives every day. But, last December, he put his knowledge and skills to the test when he had to perform abdominal thrusts on his choking daughter. Patrick and his family were at a fast food restaurant enjoying a meal. His daughter Sydney, who was then 4 years-old, was munching on French fries while horsing around with her older brother Noah. Patrick told them to stop, but they didn’t listen. 

One of the fries got lodged in Sydney’s throat and she began to choke. Patrick, knowing what to do, encouraged her to cough it up. But, when the fry got further lodged and blocked her airway, he then had to perform abdominal thrusts on Sydney. Stats show that if you have to perform first aid, it will most likely be on a loved one. I am not a parent, and could only imagine how scary this must have been. He told me all he could think about in the moment was: “Please cough it up, or your mom will kill me.” 

Fortunately, after what were the longest minutes of his life, Patrick was able to dislodge the French fry and save Sydney. And strangely enough, 14 year-old Noah had accompanied Patrick to one of his first aid courses in the morning. A few hours later, Noah got to see the skills live in action.

Did You Know?: Today's Lifesavers

Cara Harder, Mary Lyon and Wendy Zilkie were at work at Cargill Limited when co-worker Robin Gabb collapsed in her cubicle and went into complete cardiac arrest.  They called 9-1-1, performed CPR and utilized the automated external defibrillator.  The ambulance soon arrived and the paramedics took over. After a couple of weeks in hospital, Robin was released and has now made a complete recovery.

Doug Hlady was enjoying a 75th anniversary party in Selkirk, Manitoba last summer when one of the honourees, a 98 year-old man, began choking on a piece of steak.  Someone cried for help and Doug immediately responded. “I just jumped up and went over, and went behind his wheelchair, braced against it and performed chest compressions from behind. It popped out on the second thrust”, Hlady said.

Would you know what to do?

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code.  Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.