ENHANCING MOTHERS' SKILLS IN ASSISTING CHOKING TODDLERS THROUGH ANIMATED HEIMLICH MANEUVER VIDEOS: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Choking is a critical emergency often seen in toddlers, requiring immediate action to prevent fatal outcomes. Many mothers find it challenging to manage such incidents effectively due to insufficient knowledge. Animated demonstrations of the Heimlich Manoeuvre present a promising approach for health education. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of animation videos demonstrating the Heimlich Manoeuvre on mothers' proficiency in aiding choking toddlers. Utilizing a quasi-experimental research design, the study included 60 mothers with toddlers, with a sample of 40 selected through purposive sampling and divided evenly into treatment (20) and control (20) groups. Maternal proficiency was measured using validated and reliable questionnaires and observation sheets. The intervention involved watching the video twice daily over two consecutive days, with each session lasting two minutes and seventeen seconds. The Wilcoxon test results showed a p-value of less than 0.05 for the treatment group and 0.150 for the control group, indicating a significant impact of the animation video on the mothers' ability to assist choking toddlers. The Mann-Whitney test also revealed a significant difference between the treatment and control groups' pre- and post-test results, with a p-value of less than 0.05. The animated videos effectively engaged multiple sensory pathways, making the instructions easy to understand, remember, and replicate. Mothers who repeatedly viewed the video according to the study's protocol demonstrated improved skills in assisting choking toddlers. These findings suggest that animation videos are a valuable tool for enhancing mothers' proficiency in managing choking incidents, offering a practical alternative for improving prevention and intervention skills.