Providing first aid for choking in a child less than one year old is a combination of sternum thrusts, which are performed with two fingers and tapping on the back. Infants cannot be given abdominal thrusts, as is done in children and adults.
Determine if the baby feels choked
•Check to see if the child can breathe, cough, cry, or if he coughs very weakly or makes a squeak.
If the child does not feel choking: • Let him continue to cough.
If the baby feels choked:
Turn the baby face down
• Support baby's head and neck.
• Turn the baby face down, placing him on your forearm so that the head is lower than the body.
Give 5 back taps
• Lower your baby into your arm, resting him on your hip.
• Using the heel of your other hand, make 5 vigorous taps between the baby's shoulder blades.
Turn the baby onto his back
• Support baby's head and neck.
• Turn the baby onto his back, placing him on your lap so that his head is supported below his body.
Perform 5 sternum thrusts
• Place your index and middle fingers on your chest so that they are one finger's length below the imaginary line between your baby's nipples.
• Give a series of 5 sharp thrusts to the sternum to a depth of approximately 2 cm.
Continue with back taps and sternum thrusts until:
• The foreign body will not be removed. • The baby will not start crying, breathing or
cough a lot. • The baby will not lose consciousness.
Call an ambulance
• Send someone to call an ambulance.
• Instruct the emergency caller to inform the dispatcher of the infant's condition. If there is no one nearby to send for an ambulance, administer first aid for one minute, then call yourself.