First Aid and Emergencies

Adult or child older than 1 year:

If the victim is standing or sitting

• Stand behind the victim and wrap your arms around his or her waist. If the victim is standing, place one of your feet between the victim's legs so you can support the victim's body if he or she loses consciousness.

  Heimlich maneuver: Give quick upward thrusts to dislodge the object.

• Make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of your fist against the victim's abdomen, just above the navel but well below the breastbone.

• Grasp your fist with the other hand. Give a quick upward thrust into the victim's abdomen. This may cause the object to pop out. Use less force for a child.

• Repeat thrusts until the object pops out or the victim loses consciousness.

• If you choke while you are alone , do abdominal thrusts on yourself, or lean over the back of a chair and press forcefully to pop out the object.

If the victim loses consciousness , gently lower him or her to the ground.

• Straddle the victim's legs with your legs.

• Place the heel of one hand on the victim's abdomen, just above the navel but well below the breastbone. Place your other hand directly over the first.

• Give 5 quick, upward thrusts into the victim's abdomen. Use less force for a child.

• Move to the victim's head. Use your fingers and thumb to lift the victim's lower jaw and tongue. Bend the forefinger of your other hand like a hook and put it into the victim's mouth to try to sweep out the object. Be careful not to push the object back into the victim's airway. After you have swept the mouth, give the victim 2 rescue breaths (See Step 4: Begin rescue breathing.).

• If air still does not go in, repeat abdominal thrusts, mouth sweeps, and rescue breaths until the object is dislodged and you can breathe air into the victim or until an ambulance arrives.

  Proper positioning for performing the Heimlich maneuver on an unconscious victim

  Infant (younger than 1 year) :

  • Put the baby face down on your forearm so the baby's head is lower than his or her chest.

  • Support the baby's head in your palm, against your thigh. Don't cover the baby's mouth or twist his or her neck.

  • To dislodge the object, use the heel of one hand to give back blows between the baby's shoulders. Repeat 4 times.

  • If the airway remains blocked, support the infant's head and turn him or her face up on your thigh with his or her head pointing toward the floor.

  • Place 2 or 3 fingers on the lower part of the baby's breastbone, and give 5 upward thrusts.

  • Look for the object in the infant's mouth. If you can see it, remove it with your finger. Then give 2 rescue breaths (See Step 4: Begin rescue breathing.).

    To help a baby who is choking, use the heel of your hand to give back blows between the baby's shoulders.

  • If air does not go in, continue with back blows, chest thrusts, looking for the object, and rescue breaths until the infant coughs up the object and starts breathing on his or her own, or until help arrives.

    For more information, See Choking.