Safety At Home

Choking Infant (under 1 year)

Signs & symptoms

• coughing, wheezing, gagging
• difficulty breathing
• making a whistling or ‘crowing’ noise or no sound at all
• face, neck lips, ears, fingernails turning blue.

What to do

1. Call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.

2. Place the infant on your forearm with the head downward and supported by your hand.

3. With other hand, give up to 5 back blows with the heel of one hand to the infant’s back between the shoulders.

4. Check if the object is relieved after each back blow by turning infant onto the back, open mouth and remove any loose foreign material with your little finger.

5. If unsuccessful after 5 back blows, place the infant on their back on a firm surface, place 2 fingers in the CPR compression position and give up to 5 chest thrusts, slower but sharper than compressions.

6. Check if the object is relieved after each chest thrust.

7. If unsuccessful, continue giving back blows and chest thrusts until medical aid arrives.

8. Be prepared to give CPR if the infant becomes
unconscious.

Source