What is adult positional asphyxia?

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asked Feb 18, 2022 in Other- Health by cinestalker (1,050 points)
What is adult positional asphyxia?

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answered Feb 20, 2022 by QJesse44 (8,910 points)
Adult Positional Asphyxia is when someone dies as a result of being in a position which restricts the persons breathing.

Positional asphyxia refers to a situation where there is compromise of respiration because of splinting of the chest and/or diaphragm preventing normal respiratory excursion, or occlusion of the upper airway due to abnormal positioning of the body.

Perinatal asphyxia is a result of lack of oxygen to organ systems due to a hypoxic or ischemic insult that occurs within close temporal proximity to labor (peripartum) and delivery (intrapartum).

When someone dies from asphyxiation there may be signs such as visceral congestion via dilation of the venous blood vessels and blood stasis, petechiae, cyanosis and fluidity of the blood.

Someone who has been strangled will usually have strangulation marks as well.

You can asphyxiate someone by preventing them from breathing.

An easy way for someone to be asphyxiated is through positional asphyxiation.

A factor that increases the danger of positional asphyxia is leaving an infant or toddler in a car seat too long.

Other factors that increase the risk of positional asphyxia include.

Heightened demand for oxygen.
Obesity.
Mental illness.
Small stature.
Intoxication.
Excited delirium state.
Physical ailments.

To guard against being asphyxiated the person or yourself needs to move around and avoid being in one position that restricts your breathing too long.

In particular, avoid positions that can lead to positional asphyxia.

These include, among other positions, face down (prone) restraints and any position that impairs a person's breathing.

If the person is having trouble breathing they should be moved so that they can breathe.

Just because they can talk or scream does not mean they can breathe.

Also if you have an infant or toddler in a car seat or baby carrier you should not leave them strapped in the car seat or baby carrier for longer than an hour or two.

Avoid anything that restricts the chest and abdomen in a prone, kneeling or forward reclining position.
Don't restrain someone by bending them forward.
Put weight on someone's back.
Constantly monitor the individual.
Only restrain the individual for as long as necessary.

The factors that increase the risk of positional asphyxia include intoxication due to alcohol, drug use, obesity, psychiatric illnesses, and physical injury.

Asphyxia is a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.

When someone suffers from or dies from positional asphyxia the position of the persons body blocks the persons airway so they can't breathe and when they cannot breathe they will die if they don't get some oxygen and start breathing again.

Death from positional or postural asphyxia occurs when the victim's position interferes with adequate breathing by causing partial or complete airway obstruction.

Being in an inverted or head-down position for an extended period of time suppresses normal respiration and circulation.

Positional Asphyxia is real and you can die from it.

Positional asphyxia, also known as postural asphyxia, is a form of asphyxia which occurs when someone's position prevents the person from breathing adequately.

People may die from positional asphyxia accidentally, when the mouth and nose are blocked, or where the chest may be unable to fully expand.

For example if an infant or toddler is left in a baby carrier or car seat and strapped in too long then they could suffer from positional asphyxia.

This actually happened to a 2 year old boy that was in a car seat and strapped in overnight on a road trip.

His parents never removed him from the car seat for 10 hours during the road trip and he suffered from positional asphyxia.

It can happen to anyone of any age but toddlers and infants are more prone to it.

If you're traveling with a baby or toddler they need to be removed from their seats and allowed to move around at least every few hours.

Babies who experience positional asphyxia cannot breathe because the position of their body blocks their airway.

When the passage of air from mouth and nose to lungs is blocked because a baby's head is slumped over or a baby's chin is pressing into the baby's chest.

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