CHOKING RESCUE FOR CHILD OR INFANT VICTIM

Technique used to assist a choking responsive child is abdominal thrusts, aka the Heimlich maneuver.

1. stand or kneel behind the victim and wrap your arms around their waist
2. make a fist with one hand
3. place the thumb side of your fist against the victim’s abdomen, in the midline, slightly above the navel and well below the breastbone
4. grasp your fist with your other hand and press your fist into the victim’s abdomen with a quick forceful upward thrust
5. give each thrust a distinct sharp movement
6. repeat thrusts until the foreign object is expelled from the airway

If a choking child victim is unresponsive:

1. shout for help to activate ERS
2. if the victim is becoming unresponsive, help or lower them to the ground
3. begin CPR
4. check in the victim’s mouth for foreign objects that can be easily removed
5. after about 5 minutes of CPR, activate ERS if hasn’t been done

To provide assistance to a choking responsive infant

1. kneel or sit with the infant in your lap
2. Hold the infant face down on your forearm, with his head slightly lower than the chest.
3. Support his head and jaw with your hand
4. Rest your forearm on your lap
5. Using the heel of your free hand, deliver 5 forceful back slaps between the infant’s shoulder blades
6. Carefully turn the infant over, so that he is face up on your forearm, resting on your lap
7. With 2 fingers of your free hand, deliver 5 quick downward chest thrusts. These should be done at the same location as CPR compressions.
8. Repeat 5 back slaps/5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged

To provide assistance to a choking unresponsive infant

1. shout for help to activate ERS
2. Begin CPR. As you open the infant’s airway, check for any visible foreign objects which can be easily removed
3. after about 2 minutes of CPR, activate ERS