{"id":4171,"date":"2024-11-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dechoker.com\/uncategorized\/why-you-should-never-use-the-finger-sweep-choking-treatment\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T22:09:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T22:09:13","slug":"why-you-should-never-use-the-finger-sweep-choking-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dechoker.com\/ca\/news\/why-you-should-never-use-the-finger-sweep-choking-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Never Use the \u2018Finger Sweep\u2019 Choking Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you search around online for choking first-aid treatments, you might come across the \u201cfinger sweep\u201d method. We would like to take this opportunity to add our voices to the chorus of respected healthcare organizations around the world advocating against this potentially dangerous approach.<\/p>\n

Originally recommended as a method for parents to help choking babies and toddlers, the finger sweep involves running your finger through the choking person\u2019s mouth in an attempt to dislodge the food or other object that is blocking the airway. While we understand the appeal of this common-sense approach, evidence has shown that it\u2019s not only ineffective in the vast majority of choking cases, but it also can make the situation much worse.<\/p>\n

In nearly all cases, if a choking victim\u2019s airway is completely blocked, that means the object is likely too far down the throat to simply be swept aside by a finger. In fact the object is often so far down the throat that you wouldn\u2019t even be able to see it if the victim opened his or her mouth wide. Even if you can see the object, touching it with your finger is far more likely to push it further into the airway than to dislodge it.<\/p>\n

This is why most organizations say you should not attempt the finger sweep. \u201cDon’t try a finger sweep if you can’t see the object. Be careful not to push the food or object deeper into the airway, which can happen easily in young children,\u201d says the\u00a0Mayo Clinic<\/a>. And the nonprofit\u00a0National Health Care Provider Solutions<\/a> says, \u201cOlder authoritative organizations advised caregivers to perform a blind finger sweep to attempt to remove an object from a choking victim, regardless of age … . This notion has been replaced by evidence-based practices to only perform a finger sweep if you can see the object clearly in the person\u2019s mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even if you can see the object, we recommend trying other proven first-aid methods first, including:<\/p>\n