Although it is rarely heard of, children have died of hanging and strangulation. It mostly happens to toddlers who become entangled with blind cords or other rope-like materials. The story of two-year old Alexandra Hoegh, daughter of one of Britain’s richest men, was a tragedy. Alexandra Hoegh passed away after becoming entangled with a blind cord in her bedroom. She was blue and not breathing when she was discovered by her who nanny was trained in childcare but did not complete the course. Alexandra’s mother gave her daughter mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and the little girl’s color returned but was unresponsive. She was pronounced dead in the hospital and the official cause of death was asphyxiation caused by hanging.
In cases of hanging and strangulation, there is an exerted pressure on the anterior part of neck which results to squeezing the airway cutting off the flow of air to the lungs. When there is hanging – suspension, the body of a noose is around the neck, whereas in strangulation – constriction, there is a squeezing in the throat or around the neck.
Some symptoms of hanging and strangulation include: constricting object around the neck, marks around the victim’s neck, congestions in the face, with noticeable veins and tiny red spots on the face or in the white area of the eyes, hasty and difficulty in breathing, impaired consciousness and cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin).
In most cases of strangulation, it takes an average of 15 seconds to reach unconsciousness and several minutes for death to occur. However, the smaller the body is, the faster death becomes. Nevertheless, without sufficient amount of oxygen in the brain, it can lead to permanent brain damage, even if resuscitation is achieved. Thus, it is important to call for an ambulance immediately.
If the child is strangled by a cord or string or any material of the like, immediately loosen the article around the neck to release the tension. If the child is hanging, pick the child up to make the line slack and remove immediately. But if the article is wrapped too tightly, rapidly but gently cut it using a pair of scissors, minimizing the movement of the child’s neck.
Do not move the child too much. Position the child on his/ her back on a flat, firm surface. With one hand, slightly tilt the head back and use other hand to lift the chin with the other. The rescuer should position own cheek on the child’s nose and mouth. Feel for breathing on the cheek and observe for rise and fall of chest. Check for pulse by placing two fingers on the groove of the neck. If the child is not breathing and no pulse is detected, begin CPR. If the rescuer does not know CPR, begin rescue breathing. For children below one year of age, cover the nose and mouth of the child with own mouth, and give two breaths, each for at least one second long. For children over one year of age, pinch the nose and cover the lips of the victim using own mouth. Give two, slow full breaths. For every three seconds, give one breath, until the child is breathing or until emergency medical services arrive.
CPR courses train people in CPR for infants, children and adults, all of which have variations in their process. Trained individuals can help buy the minutes an individual needs to revive and save a life. Parents, nannies, or anyone can get become a licensed rescuer and help out in emergency situations.