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What to do if a baby is choking: first aid for choking infants

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What to do if a baby is choking: first aid for choking infants

If infants are choking, they may not be able to make any noise to let you know. Learning this basic first aid could help save a child’s life.

If the infant is unconscious, do CPR. If they are conscious, follow these steps.

Before helping the choking child

Back blows for choking infant:

  1. Sit down and lay the baby’s face down along your thighs, supporting the head with your hand.
  2. Give up to 5 sharp back blows with the heel of 1 hand in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades.
  3. After 5 back blows, if the baby is still coughing and conscious, give chest thrusts.

 Chest thrusts for choking infant:

  1. Lay the baby face-up along the length of your thighs.
  2. Place two or three fingers in the center of the infant’s chest just below the nipple line.
  3. Give 5 sharp chest thrusts (pushes), compressing the chest by about 4 cm 
  4. After 5 chest thrusts, if the baby is still coughing and conscious, give back blows.

Continue care: Continue sets of 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object is forced out, the baby can cough and breathe or until the baby becomes unconscious.

Unconscious choking infant

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