Mastering Choking First Aid: Skills for Adults, Children & Infants
Seconds count in a choking emergency. RupIELTS Institute provides the expert, hands-on training you need in Surrey and Edmonton.
Recognizing a Choking Emergency
A choking emergency is terrifying because it's silent. Knowing how to recognize the signs of a completely blocked airway is the first step to saving a life. A person with a severe blockage will be unable to speak, cough, or breathe. They may use the universal sign for choking—clutching the throat with both hands.
At RupIELTS Institute, our Red Cross certified courses teach you precisely how to react with confidence and skill.
First Aid for Choking: Adult or Child
If the person is conscious but cannot talk or cough, CALL 911 immediately and begin the following steps.
Back Blows
Bend the person forward and deliver 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Abdominal Thrusts
Place your fist just above their belly button. Give 5 quick, inward and upward thrusts.
Alternate
Continue alternating between 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object comes out.
Important:
For pregnant or larger individuals where you can't wrap your arms around the waist, give chest thrusts from behind instead of abdominal thrusts.
If the person becomes unresponsive, carefully lower them to the ground and begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.
First Aid for Choking: Infant (Under 1 Year)
If an infant is conscious but cannot cry or cough, have someone CALL 911 and begin care immediately.
1. Give 5 Back Blows
Securely hold the infant face-down on your forearm, supporting their head and jaw. The head should be lower than the chest. Give 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades.
2. Give 5 Chest Compressions
Carefully turn the infant over, supporting the head. Place two fingers on the center of their chest and give 5 quick compressions, about 1/3 the depth of the chest.
Continue this cycle of 5 back blows and 5 chest compressions until the object is forced out or the infant can breathe.
If the infant becomes unresponsive, begin CPR immediately.
Become a Leader in Child Safety: Book Your Course
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