First Aid:

DO NOT perform these steps if the infant is coughing forcefully or has a strong cry. Strong coughs and cries can push the object out of the airway.

If your child is not coughing forcefully or does not have a strong cry, follow these steps:

1. Lay the infant face down, along your forearm. Use your thigh or lap for support. Hold the infant's chest in your hand and jaw with your fingers. Point the infant's head downward, lower than the body.
2. Give up to 5 quick, forceful blows between the infant's shoulder blades. Use the palm of your free hand.

If the object does not come out of the airway after 5 blows:

1. Turn the infant face up. Use your thigh or lap for support. Support the head.
2. Place 2 fingers on the middle of his breastbone just below the nipples.
3. Give up to 5 quick thrusts down, compressing the chest 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the chest.
4. Continue 5 back blows follwed by 5 chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the infant loses alertness (becomes unconscious).

IF THE INFANT LOSES ALERTNESS

If the child becomes unresponsive, stops breathing, or turns blue:

• Shout for help.
• Give infant CPR. Call 911 after 1 minute of CPR.
• If you can SEE the object blocking the airway, try to remove it with your finger. Try to remove an object ONLY if you can see it.

Do Not:

• DO NOT perform choking first aid if the infant is coughing forcefully, has a strong cry, or is breathing enough. However, be ready to act if the symptoms worsen.
• DO NOT try to grasp and pull out the object if the infant is alert (conscious).
• DO NOT do back blows and chest thrusts if the infant stops breathing for other reasons, such as asthma, infection, swelling, or a blow to the head. DO give infant CPR in these cases.

Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if:

If an infant is choking:

• Tell someone to call 911 while you begin first aid.
• If you are alone, shout for help and begin first aid.

Always call your doctor after a child has been choking, even if you successfully remove the object from the airway and the infant seems fine.