Child Choking Safety

Knowing what to do when your child is choking is very important. Young children often experiment and place everything in their mouths. These small objects can be anything from beads and buttons, to coins and even candy. If an accident does happen, you need to be able to help your child.

You may see your child put something in their mouth which will then cause them to begin choking. If you see the object they’re choking on, don’t attempt to dislodge it with your fingers. This will only push it further down their throat.

If your child is less than one:

1. Support the child’s head and neck, and face them towards the ground.
2. Using the heel of your hand, hit the child sharply between the shoulder blades five times.
3. Flip the child over, and press down forcefully five times on the breast bone until he or she begins to cry.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the item becomes visible and is dislodged.

For children one and over:

1. Ask the child if they can speak. If they cannot utter a sound, cough or breath, or you hear high pitched noises, they are choking.
2. Get behind the child and bend them over. Wrap one hand around their chest, and with the other, deliver five sharp blows with the heel of your hand between the shoulder blades.
3. Bring the child to an upright position, and again from behind begin abdominal thrusts. Do five sharp inward and upward thrusts and repeat until the child begins to cough or breathe.

If at any time you feel that the child’s life is in danger, call 911.

The American Red Cross offers First Aid and CPR classes in Florida which can give you the skills needed to help both adults and children in the case of an emergency. For more information, click here. You may also download the Red Cross Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED READY REFERENCE to keep handy in case of an emergency.