Positional asphyxia, also known as positional or postural asphyxia, is a form of asphyxia which occurs when a person's position prevents them from adequately expanding their lungs to breathe in enough oxygen and expel enough carbon dioxide. People of all ages can be affected by positional asphyxia, though it is most common in infants and young children.
Causes of Positional Asphyxia
Positional asphyxia is caused by a person's body position preventing them from breathing adequately. Common causes of positional asphyxia include:
Prolonged Restraint: Prolonged restraint, such as being restrained in the prone (face down) position, can cause positional asphyxia due to the pressure on the chest and abdomen, making it difficult to expand the chest to breathe.
Compression: Compression of the chest, abdomen, or neck can cause positional asphyxia by limiting the ability to expand the chest to take in air. Some common scenarios that can lead to compression-related positional asphyxia include:
• People being pinned by heavy objects
• People being held in a tight embrace
• People being squeezed between two objects
Obstruction: Obstruction of the airway can cause positional asphyxia by preventing the person from being able to take in enough oxygen. Common causes of obstruction-related positional asphyxia include:
• People being placed face down on a mattress or other soft surface
• People wearing clothes that are too tight or constricting
• People having an object (such as a hand or pillow) over their face
Prevention of Positional Asphyxia
Positional asphyxia can be prevented by taking steps to ensure that people are not placed in positions that could cause asphyxia. For example, people should not be restrained in the prone position for long periods of time, and any clothing that is worn should not be too tight or constricting.
In addition, people should be monitored to make sure that they are not in a position that could cause obstruction of their airway, such as lying face down on a mattress or having an object over their face. If a person is found in a position that could cause positional asphyxia, they should be moved to a safer position immediately.
