Infant Choking Instructions


	Step 1: Hold the child in one hand, it doesn't matter which side you start on. Make sure you are supporting the child by the chin and jaw and not over the neck. You do not want to block off the airway with your hand!
	Step 2: Place the child facedown on your forearm and rest your forearm on your leg. Make sure the child's head is below its chest to allow gravity to work for you instead of against you. It is easiest to do this while sitting, but it can be done while standing as well.
	Step 3: Preform 5 backslaps. Using the heel of your hand, strike the child's back between the shoulder blades with the same force as you would use to hit a glass ketchup bottle. You are attempting to force air out of their lungs to push the object out.
	Step 4: Place the hand used to slap on the child's head with your arm running down their body.
	Step 5: Turn the child over into the other arm and onto the opposite leg. Make sure to keep the head down.
	Step 6: Preform 5 chest thrusts. Place 2 fingers in the middle of the chest just below the nipple line and compress the chest ⅓ to ½ the depth of the chest. These will be fairly forceful, but you will not break ribs.
	Step 7: Using the first hand, re-grab the jaw of the child as in Step 1 with your arm running down the body of the child.
	Step 8: Turn the child back onto the first leg. Repeat Steps 3-8 until the emergency medical service (EMS) arrives or until the object is dislodged. If the object is disloged, follow up with your pediatrician imediately to assess for damage that may cause future complications.