Just in time for Halloween, Heimlich Heroes™ provides safety tips to children who will be trick-or-treating this holiday season. The life-saving program teaches children how to recognize the signs of choking, understand how to respond if a young person is actually choking,and how to prevent or minimize the risk of choking.
“Before young people decide to indulge in hard candy and gum this Halloween,
it is imperative for young people to know how to perform the Heimlich
Maneuver ®,” says Program Director of Heimlich Heroes™, Terri Huntington.
“This life-saving maneuver has saved thousands of lives since its inception
in 1974 by Dr. Henry Heimlich; it only takes a moment to learn how to save a
life.”
Dr. Heimlich of Cincinnati developed the Heimlich Maneuver, which has proven to be a life-saver.
Children as young as seven years old can be taught how to save a life with
simple training and instruction. Young people should be able to recognize
these four signs that someone is choking and in need of the Heimlich
Maneuver ® before treating themselves to Halloween candy this month:
• Hands at the throat. This is the universal sign for choking. If
someone has their hands at their throat, ask them if they are choking.
• Weak cough. Coughing is a useful defense mechanism for clearing
obstructions, but if the cough is weak or wheezy, it means the airway is
obstructed and the victim cannot gain sufficient air flow to cough
effectively. Stay close by. But if the coughing stops – they need the
Heimlich Maneuver®.
• Skin that appears blueish. When a person is choking, their skin will
start to turn blue. This transformation first occurs around the lips, face
and fingernails.
• Unable to speak. Despite their best urge to call for help, a person
who is choking will not be able to speak. If you see a person struggling to
make words, yet they are unable to do so, they need your help.
Heimlich Heroes™ also provides more safety tips and information to young
people on their blog at www.heimlichheroes.blogspot.com
The program is a Deaconess Initiative that teaches kids as young as seven how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver® correctly in order to save a life. To learn more or find out how to bring Heimlich Heroes to your school or organization, please visit www.heimlichheroes.com