- Lower the person on his or her back onto the floor.
- Clear the airway. If a blockage is visible at the back of the throat or high in the throat, reach a finger into the mouth and sweep out the cause of the blockage. Be careful not to push the food or object deeper into the airway, which can happen easily in young children.
- Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the object remains lodged and the person doesn't respond after you take the above measures. The chest compressions used in CPR may dislodge the object. Remember to recheck the mouth periodically.
To clear the airway of a choking infant younger than age 1:
- Assume a seated position and hold the infant face down on your forearm, which is resting on your thigh.
- Thump the infant gently but firmly five times in the middle of the back using the heel of your hand. The combination of gravity and the back blows should release the blocking object.
- Hold the infant face up on your forearm with the head lower than the trunk if the above doesn't work. Using two fingers placed at the center of the infant's breastbone, give five quick chest compressions.
- Repeat the back blows and chest thrusts if breathing doesn't resume. Call for emergency medical help.
- Begin infant CPR if one of these techniques opens the airway but the infant doesn't resume breathing.
If the child is older than age 1, give abdominal thrusts only.
- To prepare yourself for these situations, learn the Heimlich maneuver and CPR in a certified first-aid training course
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First Aid Guide