Instructions for Assisting an Infant with Choking Emergencies
Choking is a potentially life-threatening situation for infants, as their small airways make them more susceptible to obstruction. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to respond when an infant is choking, based on expert recommendations.
**First Aid for a Choking Infant (Under 1 Year Old)**
1. **Position the Infant**: Hold the infant face-down on your forearm, supporting their head and neck with your hand. Rest your forearm on your thigh, keeping the infant’s head lower than their chest. This positioning helps dislodge the object with gravity and allows easier access for interventions.
2. **Give 5 Back Blows**: Use the heel of your free hand to deliver five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades. Keep supporting the infant’s head and neck throughout.
3. **Give 5 Chest Thrusts**: If the object is not expelled, turn the infant face-up, still supporting the head and neck. Place two fingers on the center of the infant’s chest, just below the nipple line. Give five quick chest thrusts, pushing inward about 1.5 inches (4 cm). Alternate between five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive.
**If the Infant Becomes Unresponsive**
1. **Call 911**: If not already done, call for emergency services immediately.
2. **Begin Infant CPR**: Lay the infant on a firm surface. Open the airway, look for and remove the object **only if clearly visible**—never perform a blind finger sweep. Give 30 chest compressions (at a rate of 100–120 per minute), followed by two gentle breaths (mouth-to-mouth-and-nose). Continue cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths, checking the mouth for obstructions before breaths.
**Key Safety Tips**
- Never use abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on an infant—use only back blows and chest thrusts. - Do not shake the infant. The correct motion is a firm back blow and a controlled chest thrust. - Only remove an airway obstruction if you can clearly see and reach it. - Continue CPR until emergency medical services arrive or the infant begins to breathe normally.
> **Remember:** Choking in infants is a medical emergency. Always seek professional emergency care as soon as possible, even if the object is successfully expelled.
After a choking episode, it is important to call a doctor, as there may be damage to the baby's airway or other injuries. To prevent choking, parents or caregivers should supervise feeding, feed in a seated position, keep small toys off the floor, check baby toys for choking hazards, avoid giving toys with small parts, cut up potential choking hazards, and avoid giving babies popcorn, chips, hard candy, gum, or other potential choking hazards.
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