Boy who choked on bread was among more than 4,000 annual choking deaths

Saturday 25th October, 06:26 AM JST

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tmarie at 09:38 AM JST - 25th October

That's it! Ban mochi, bread and rice!!
Samuraiiki at 09:59 AM JST - 25th October

Might have to start selling blenders to the elderly
realteacher at 10:13 AM JST - 25th October

This method has been considered outdated for years! It is recommended that you firmly slap the person on the back in order to remove to lodged object.

Neverknow2, where did you hear this? I find it strange as to how something can be outdated that actually works. Has human physiology changed and nobody told me about it? Slaps on the back are for infants or small children who can easily be picked up and put in a lying down position along the length of your forearm, head down. It is recommended for infants and small children because the heimlich, if done improperly on a **very **young children could damage the xyphoid process just below the breastplate.
realteacher at 10:13 AM JST - 25th October

****whoops I mean very young children
bamboohat at 10:15 AM JST - 25th October

I don't really think people understand even the nature of death by choking. I had an elderly student tell me friend of a friend died recently. I asked how. She said that she told hubby that she needed to go lie down, and when hubby checked on her 10 minutes later, she had died. I asked the student if the doctors said what happened, thinking maybe stroke or heart attack or something. The student was sure that the poor woman chocked to death on food. As if when you start choking, you'll be able to tell somebody you are going to lie down for a spell. Becasue it is realtively easy to save somebody from choking, give basic first aid training, it is a shame so many people die every year. I wonder how many of these deaths occured surrounded by strangers that pretended nothing was happening.
realteacher at 10:17 AM JST - 25th October

Maff, it's nice to know that ONE school is doing something about it. But only once a year??? If that is what you meant then I guess it will take several years to get all the necessary training that is accomplished at the local fire station in about 16 hours over a weekend in California. It's a nice gesture, but I don't see it being worthwhile.
ptolemy at 11:36 AM JST - 25th October

(sarcasm on) Thats it ban bread just like the jelly snack that was just banned,or put a notice on the package: "Please chew well before swallowing." I also suggest a cartoon strip of a kawaii animal showing the complete process. (sarcasm off) Charles Darwin would love this place some times.
some14some at 03:41 PM JST - 25th October

To put an end to all sort of chewing problems, start selling liquid food.
okapake at 05:35 PM JST - 25th October

Asked some of my Japanese workers if they knew about the Heimlich procedure - none knew about it.
gogogo at 06:57 PM JST - 25th October

Education, food is not dangerous, non eduction is dangerous!
Smythe at 09:20 PM JST - 25th October

Hesitate to make a comment on the young lad that choked to death. True this will be such a shock to the parents & possibly make them feel a bit guilty. After all 6yrs of age is the start of him becoming a student, to how he acts amongst other students to adults---his start to becomming a youngman.

Actually is was the heading reading "--4,000 annual choking deaths--" that made me sit up & think here is something I had not realized that many had annual choked to death.

Someone earlier mentioned "--I'm on the PTA of my child's primary school, and I can tell you that first-aid training sessions for teachers, staff, and parents are organized regularly---" this might be the answer, if it is not used in that young lad's school. For no one wants to loose a son in their earlier years.
Molenir at 09:38 PM JST - 25th October

My brother saved a guy using the Heimlich maneuver on a guy in a restaurant. Was just sitting there, the guy started choking, everyone around was just staring at the guy, so my brother reacted by getting up and performing it. Sure enough, the food popped out, the guy lived.

Food does kill a lot of people. Can be eating just about anything, and choke to death on it.
helloklitty at 11:24 PM JST - 25th October

What if you try the heimleich maneuver on a train? Wouldn't you be tried for "groping"? Alternatively, if charged with "groping" one should say, "I thought she was choking."
BurakuminDes at 01:41 AM JST - 26th October

Many teachers in Japan do a comprehensive "multiple choice" examination dealing with emergencies, thus they should be well-equipped to deal with any emergency that arises. Not.
Sammi33 at 08:18 AM JST - 26th October

I thought it was common sense for someone working with children to recieve a basic first-aid training course as part of their education and not have to rely on a once-a-year seminar from the PTA, some posters in the break room, etc. Also, when he started choking, he had only soup with his lunch, he had to run to a faucet to drink water. Didn't he have water or tea with him? Oh, wait, he probably had the 500ml of mugicha that mommy made that's supposed to last a whole day.