The Heimlich Maneuver is a crucial first aid technique for children and adults who are choking. It involves performing inward and upward abdominal thrusts above the navel to dislodge a foreign object from a person’s airway. For toddlers over 12 months, kneel or stand behind them, bend their child over at the waist. For children over 1 year of age, stand directly behind them, make a fist with one hand, and place it over their navel or belly button.
The Heimlich Maneuver is especially important for pregnant people or those with obesity, as they can lose consciousness quickly. To perform the maneuver in a baby or child, hug the child from behind and perform upward thrusts. For adults aged 1 to 8 years old, stand behind the child, make a fist with one hand, grab the other hand, press into the abdomen with a quick upward push, and repeat this inward and upward thrust until the piece of food or object comes out.
For infants, perform back blows by hitting the child firmly on their back between the shoulder blades. If back blows do not dislodge the object, move on to step. If the object does not dislodge, turn the child’s head.
In summary, the Heimlich Maneuver is a vital first aid technique that can help prevent choking. It involves performing inward and upward abdominal thrusts above the navel to force enough air to push out the blockage. It is essential to call 911 after completing the maneuver once and check to see if it worked.
📹 Children First Aid: Choking Baby| First Aid | British Red Cross
This animation shows you how to use back blows when a baby is choking Learn more on our Baby and Child First Aid site.
📹 What to do if your child is choking
What do you do if your child is choking? It’s something no parent wants to think about but they need to be prepared to react.
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