Choking

Choking happens when something gets stuck in your windpipe and blocks air from getting to your lungs.

In adults, choking may happen when a piece of food goes down the trachea (windpipe) instead of the oesophagus (food pipe).

Sometimes the windpipe is only partly blocked. If you can still breathe, coughing forcefully may help clear the blockage.

Someone might be choking if they:

• clutch their throat
• cough, wheeze or gag
• have trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing
• make a whistling or 'crowing' noise — or can't make any sound at all
• have a blue face, lips, earlobes or fingernails
• look very agitated
• lose consciousness

Babies and young children put all sorts of things in their mouths (Opens in new tab). This can lead to choking if they put small items in their mouths.

Choking can happen in adults and children if an object becomes fully or partly stuck in the windpipe. This is known as a foreign body airway obstruction.

If your doctor thinks you have been choking, they will try to find out:

• what happened
• when it happened
• what you may have inhaled

To help diagnose choking, your doctor will:

• ask you questions — if you can't speak, they may ask questions to the person who was with you
• check your breathing and listen for wheezing or uneven breath sounds
• check your ears, nose and throat for other objects
• look for signs, such as drooling, voice changes, blue lips (called cyanosis) or coughing

In the emergency department, doctors can use different techniques to clear your windpipe.

Sometimes, even if the choking episode seems to have passed, an object might still be stuck further down. You may need a test called a bronchoscopy to check your airways. If something is stuck there, it can be removed to prevent infection.

You might need to stay in hospital to make sure there is no damage to your lungs.

Anyone can choke but babies and young children are most at risk because:

• their airways are soft and narrow
• they are still learning how to eat safely (Opens in new tab)
• they often put things in their mouths to explore

Other people who have a higher chance of choking include:

• adults over 65 years of age
• people living with disability, such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability or dementia
• people with epilepsy — they may choke during a seizure

If your windpipe is completely blocked and you can't breathe, it's a medical emergency and can lead to death.

Choking games

The 'choking game' is a dangerous activity where people choke themselves or others to feel a 'high'. This is also known as the pass-out or blackout challenge.

You may think you can stop before you pass out but you may be wrong. This can lead to brain damage or death, especially if done alone.

There have been reports of young children doing choking games, often due to peer pressure or to feel a thrill. Parents may not be aware.

Signs that your child might be taking part include:

• showing interest in choking
• bruises on their neck or wearing clothes that cover their neck
• tiny red spots on or around their eyes or eyelids
• headaches
• irritable behaviour
• spending a lot of time alone and seeming confused after
• ropes, scarves or cords in their bedroom

Talk to your child about the dangers of choking games. Understanding the risks may stop them from trying it.

There are steps to help lower the chance of choking for babies, children and adults.

Prevent choking on small objects in babies and children

Keep small items out of reach of babies and children. Common choking hazards include:

• batteries — keep toy battery covers secure and avoid toys with button batteries
• toys with small parts, such as marbles or bouncy balls
• polystyrene beads inside bean bags and stuffed toys
• coins, safety pins, magnets, buttons and beads
• water-absorbing beads used in some toys
• balloons — especially broken, popped or deflated

Make sure your child's toys meet Australian safety standards and are not broken or damaged. Find out more about choosing safe toys (Opens in new tab).

Use the Choke Check tool (Opens in new tab) from Product Safety Australia to help you spot choking hazards.

Preventing choking while eating in children

Here are some things you can do to reduce your child's chance of choking while eating:

• Make sure your child sits down to eat and drink. Don't let them eat lying down or running around. Watch your child when they eat.
• Cut food into small pieces and encourage them to chew well.
• Avoid giving risky foods, such as lollies, raw apple or carrot, whole grapes, nuts and popcorn until they are old enough.
• Cook, grate or mash hard foods to suit your child's age and developmental stage.
• Cut grapes lengthways and then in half again. Remove bones from meat and fish. Cut sausages and take off the skin.
• Don't force your child to eat.

Read more on food textures and how to introduce your baby to solid foods (Opens in new tab).

Preventing choking in adults

• Eat and drink slowly and chew food well.
• Take small bites, especially of risky foods, such as popcorn or nuts.
• Don't eat while talking, laughing or lying down.
• Cut food into small pieces, especially if you have a dry mouth or difficulty chewing or swallowing.

The best way to help with choking is to learn first aid, especially if you care for a child.

You can find first aid courses through:

• St John Ambulance Australia (Opens in new tab)
• Royal Life Saving Society Australia (Opens in new tab)
• Australian Red Cross (Opens in new tab)

Download and read the St John Ambulance fact sheets on choking first aid for adults (Opens in new tab) and infants (Opens in new tab).

Use the Product Safety Australia Choke Check tool (Opens in new tab) to help you find choking hazards.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do you prefer to read in languages other than English?

Raising Children Network (Opens in new tab) has information on choking first aid for babies in many community languages.