Heimlich Maneuver
### For a Conscious Adult or Child (over 1 year old):
1. Assess the Situation:
– Ensure the person is choking and unable to breathe, speak, or cough effectively. If they can cough forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing to expel the object.
2. Position Yourself:
– Stand behind the person. If they are standing, position yourself slightly behind them. If they are sitting, you may need to kneel to perform the maneuver effectively.
3. Prepare for Thrusts:
– Wrap your arms around the person’s waist.
– Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side of your fist just above the person’s navel and below the ribcage.
4. Perform the Thrusts:
– Grasp your fist with your other hand.
– Deliver quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen, pressing in and up as if trying to lift the person off their feet.
– Perform each thrust with the intention of forcing the object out of the airway.
5. Repeat if Necessary:
– Continue performing abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled, the person can breathe or cough forcefully, or they become unconscious.
### For an Unconscious Person:
1. Lay the Person Down:
– If the person loses consciousness, gently lay them on their back on a firm surface.
2. Call for Emergency Help:
– Immediately call emergency services or instruct someone else to do so.
3. Begin CPR:
– Open the person’s mouth and look for the object. If you see it, attempt to remove it carefully.
– Start CPR, beginning with chest compressions. The compressions can help dislodge the object.
4. Check Airway:
– After each set of compressions (30 compressions), open the airway and look for the object. If visible, remove it.
5. Continue CPR:
– Repeat the cycle of 30 compressions and checking the airway until help arrives or the person starts to breathe.
### For Infants (under 1 year old):
1. Position the Infant:
– Hold the infant face down on your forearm, supporting their head and neck with your hand.
– Lower the infant’s body, resting your arm on your thigh to ensure the head is lower than the body.
2. Back Blows:
– Deliver up to five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.
3. Chest Thrusts:
– If the object does not dislodge, turn the infant face up, supporting the head.
– Use two fingers to give up to five quick chest thrusts on the breastbone, just below the nipple line.
4. Repeat:
– Continue alternating five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unconscious.
The Heimlich maneuver is a critical lifesaving technique. Proper training and quick action can significantly improve outcomes for choking victims.
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