What To Do If A Child Is Choking On Small Objects Or Food

If a child is choking on a small object or food, it is important to act quickly. Here are some steps you can take:

  1. Encourage the child to cough: Encourage the child to cough forcefully to try and remove the object.

  2. Give back blows: If the child is still choking and unable to speak or breathe, give them five back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.

  3. Give abdominal thrusts: If the back blows do not work, give the child five abdominal thrusts. To do this, stand behind the child, place your fist just above their navel and pull inwards and upwards.

  4. Repeat the sequence of back blows and abdominal thrusts until the object is dislodged or the child starts to breathe or cough.

  5. If the child becomes unconscious or stops breathing, call 911 and begin CPR.

It is important to note that these are guidelines for emergencies, and all parents and caregivers should take a CPR class to be fully prepared for an emergency situation

Back to blog