Part 11: Choking Relief for Adults, Children, and Infants

Signs of mild airway obstruction

• Good air exchange

• Can cough forcefully

• May wheeze between coughs

What do you do when a person has mild airway obstruction?

Allow the person to try to cough out the object themselves

Only intervene when severe airway obstruction develops

Signs of severe airway obstruction

• Universal choking sign

• Can’t talk

• No air exchange

• Bad cough

• No sound

• Possible cyanosis

What do you do when a person has severe airway obstruction?

• Give abdominal thrusts

• Start CPR if person becomes unconscious

Who do you use abdominal thrusts on?

Adults and children (not infants!)

Hand position for giving abdominal thrusts

• Place thumb side of fist against victim’s abdomen

  • In midline

  • Slightly above navel and well below sternum

• Grasp fist with your other hand

How does choking relief differ for pregnant and obese people?

Perform chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts

Do you check for pulse before performing CPR on a choking victim that has become unconscious?

No

When do you check for the choking object in the victim?

When you open the airway to give breaths

2 signs that the victim isn’t choking anymore

• Object is expelled

• Victim is able to breathe and chest is rising

What actions do you do to expel an object from a choking infant?

Back slaps and chest thrusts

Why should you not perform a blind finger sweep?

It may push the object back into the airway