How to help Choking Adult/Child

Difficulty: Easy Instructions
                  Adult/Child Choking

Step 1When you see someone that has their hands around their neck, you need to approach the person and ask them if they are choking. More than likely they will respond by nodding their head yes. Next, ask them if you can help them?

Step 2Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around that person. You need to stand with your legs apart at shoulder distance for support. Make a fist and place it right above their belly button. If this is for a child, you may need to get on your knees to be more at the child’s level.

Step 3Begin to thrust upward until the object come out. If the person stops breathing, help them to the floor, call for help and begin CPR. See my article on, “How to use CPR on an Adult and How to use CPR on a Child.”

Step 4For a pregnant woman, you will want to wrap your arms around their chest by placing your arms underneath their arms and do chest thrusts. Beat into their chest until the object comes out. You can also do this technique, if the person is too large for you to get your arms around them.


Tips & Warnings
For infants, do five back slaps followed by five check thrusts. Do not do the Heimlich maneuver on an infant. See my article, “How to help when an infant is choking.”Do chest thrusts for pregnant women or larger individualsTry to remain calm, which will help the victim do the same.