- Encourage them to carry on coughing and don’t leave them
- If coughing is not effective, eg if it’s silent or they can’t breathe in properly, shout for help immediately
**First Aid for a Choking Adult or Child (over one year)
Watch this video to see the first aid treatment for someone who is choking:
Now click on each icon to recap the first aid treatment for a choking adult or child:
If the choking is mild this should clear the obstruction and the casualty will be able to speak. remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth. DO NOT poke blindly for an obstruction at the back of the mouth as this may push the object down further.
If the obstruction is not cleared:
- Lean the casualty forwards
- Give up to 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the palm of your hand
- Check between each blow and stop if you clear the obstruction
If the obstruction is still not cleared:
- Kneel or stand behind the casualty
- Place both your arms around their waist
- Make a fist with one hand and place it just above the belly button (below the ribs) with your thumb inwards
- Grasp this fist with the other hand
- Thrust sharply inwards and upwards
- Try this up to 5 times, checking between thrusts to see if you've cleared the obstruction - if so, stop!
If the obstruction is not cleared:
- If the treatment is not working, shout for help
Ask someone to call 999/112 for emergency help- Do not interrupt the cycle of back blows and abdominal thrusts whilst the casualty is still conscious
It may be difficult to carry out abdominal thrusts in a choking individual who is very large, and abdominal thrusts should be not be performed on a pregnant person. If you are unable to encircle the individual's abdomen, you should stand behind the individual, as for abdominal thrusts, but position your hands somewhat higher, over the lower end of the sternum (breastbone). Pull hard into the chest with quick thrusts.
For a choking infant, do not use abdominal thrusts, as they can damage internal organs.
Instead, after back blows, give chest thrusts using two thumbs placed on the lower half of the breastbone.
View and download a flowchart for helping a choking adult or child here