Breathing Emergencies

The serious danger of breathing emergencies is often overlooked as we tend to focus more on problems associated with the heart. If breathing stops, the heart will also stop within minutes, as it can no longer function without oxygen.

Some common causes of breathing emergencies include:

Suffocation Choking Drowning Accidental poisonings Severe allergic reaction Acute asthma attack.

Children suffer more commonly from breathing emergencies rather than cardiac emergencies as they have strong healthy hearts.

Getting Help in Hong Kong: If ever you have to make an emergency call for someone with a breathing emergency keep it simple. Tell the operator what they need to know, "the person cannot breathe". Don't make things complicated by trying to give too much information.

Adults and Breathing Emergencies

Although adults and teenagers may be older and be more mature than children, both still run the risk of choking on food, especially while talking and eating. It is important to know how to perform abdominal thrusts, otherwise known as the Heimlich maneuver, to relieve a foreign body airway obstruction.

Asthma and other respiratory illness are equally dangerous, especially if left untreated. The air pollution in Hong Kong can exacerbate an asthmatic's condition; anyone with asthma should try to stay inside when the Air Pollution index reaches High and especially if the index reaches Severe.

If you are an asthmatic, or know someone who has asthma, make sure you know how to use an inhaler through proper instruction. If the inhaler is for the elderly or for a child, you should learn how to use a spacer for the inhaler.

Infants & Children

It doesn't take much to stop a child breathing, but if it happens to your child, will you know what to do?

Choking Hazards:
So how big does an object have to be to represent a potential choking hazard? As a rough guide, if an object can fit entirely inside an empty plastic film canister, it is a potential choking hazard. Round and smooth objects such as balls represent an even greater risk and should be at least 4.5 centimeters in diameter.

Prevention Tips:

Toys: Watch for toys that have small parts that may be pulled off accidentally. Balloons: These can be dangerous, blow up balloons yourself, or supervise if the child is blowing it up themselves. Pick up and dispose of burst balloon scraps and deflated balloons so your baby cannot reach them. Food: Cut food into small, non-round pieces and supervise eating. Avoid foods that can block airways. Food items such as popcorn, marshmallows, hard sweets and peanuts should not be given to infants or small children.

Get Trained

Everyone should learn how to administer CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and how to take care of a choking victim.

3-Hours is all it takes to complete a certified CPR program. Take the time to learn these life saving skills.

Ensure your child's school has a "severe air pollution index plan" in the event that Hong Kong's air pollution is so severe that it is dangerous.

( Contributions from Mark LIAO )