Resources

Advice Leaflets
Posters
Forms

Top Tips for Avoiding Choking from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Choose: Choose softer foods, modify or avoid high risk foods.

Help: get help, Speech and Language Therapy can assess people with signs and symptoms of a swallow difficulty.

Observe: observe people and know how to help if they choke. Check what help people need to eat and drink in a safe way.

Know: Know an individuals swallow recommendations and check the food and fluid are the right textures.

Environment: Do a safety pause. Help people to be in a good position and alert so they can focus on eating safely. Stop interruptions, turn off TVs, reduce movement and talking. Some people may need high-risk foods locked away.

Click on the hyperlinks below to download useful resources.

Choking Awareness – Self-Assessment

Download this form to reflect and rate your awareness, knowledge, skills and confidence in identifying people who may have a choking risk and managing that risk.

Choking Awareness Activities

Click here to download Activity Sheets which are designed to check your understanding of choking. You can go through these activities in sections and repeat as many times as necessary.

Advice Leaflets

1. Choking Awareness Book
2. Eat Safely
3. Feeding Others
4. Looking After Lungs
5. Oral Health
6. Taking Medication When You Have A Choking Risk
7. Wheelchair User First Aid
8. Best Interest Decision
9. Capacity and Consent
10. Children’s Version of Choking Awareness Book

Posters

1. First Aid for Choking
2. Good Ideas to Make the Room Safe
3. Good Ideas to Help Keep Your Mouth Clean
4. Good Ideas to Help You Slow Down
5. High Risk Choking Foods
6. Be Careful, Your Dinner Might Have Bones
7. Do Not Share Food
8. Help Stop Choking Pull Up

Forms

1. Personal Place Mat
2. Actions to Consider Following a Choking Event
3. Capacity Questions