Category: Health & Safety

⚡ What to Do When Someone Is Choking

Choking occurs when food or another object blocks the airway. A complete blockage can prevent breathing and become fatal within minutes.

Ask, “Are you choking?” Act immediately if the person cannot speak, cough effectively, or breathe.

Signs of Severe Choking

• The person cannot speak.
• The person cannot breathe.
• The person cannot cough effectively.
• Coughing is silent or very weak.
• The person makes high-pitched sounds or no sound.
• The person holds their hands at their throat.
• Lips or skin become blue, gray, or pale.
• The person becomes confused.
• The person loses consciousness.

Call 911 and begin choking first aid.

If the Person Can Cough or Speak

If the person can cough forcefully, speak, or breathe:

• Encourage them to keep coughing.
• Stay nearby.
• Do not give food or water.
• Do not slap their back while they are coughing effectively.
• Watch closely for worsening symptoms.

Begin choking first aid if the cough becomes weak, silent, or ineffective.

For a Conscious Adult or Child Over Age One

1. Ask permission to help when possible.
2. Stand behind and slightly to the side.
3. Support the person across the chest.
4. Lean them forward.
5. Give five firm back blows between the shoulder blades.
6. Give five abdominal thrusts.
7. Continue alternating five back blows and five abdominal thrusts.
8. Stop when the object comes out or the person becomes unresponsive.

Each thrust should be a separate, deliberate movement.

Do not perform a blind finger sweep. Remove an object from the mouth only when you can clearly see and easily reach it.

How to Give Abdominal Thrusts

• Stand behind the person.
• Place one foot between their feet for balance.
• Make a fist.
• Place the thumb side slightly above the belly button and below the breastbone.
• Grasp the fist with your other hand.
• Pull sharply inward and upward.
• Repeat as needed.

Avoid pressing directly on the ribs or lower tip of the breastbone.

For a Pregnant Person or Someone You Cannot Reach Around

Use chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.

• Stand behind the person.
• Place your arms under their armpits.
• Position your hands on the center of the breastbone.
• Pull straight backward with quick thrusts.
• Continue until the object comes out or the person becomes unresponsive.

For an Infant Under Age One

Do not use abdominal thrusts.

1. Sit or kneel.
2. Support the infant facedown along your forearm or thigh.
3. Keep the head lower than the chest.
4. Support the head and jaw without pressing the throat.
5. Give five firm back blows between the shoulder blades.
6. Turn the infant faceup while supporting the head.
7. Give five chest thrusts using two fingers on the breastbone.
8. Continue alternating five back blows and five chest thrusts.

Call 911 or have someone call while you provide care.

Do not shake the infant or hold them upside down by their feet.

If the Person Becomes Unresponsive

1. Lower the person carefully to a firm, flat surface.
2. Call 911 if no one has called.
3. Begin CPR with chest compressions.
4. Before giving breaths, look inside the mouth.
5. Remove the object only if you can clearly see and easily reach it.
6. Do not perform a blind finger sweep.
7. Use an AED as soon as it is available.
8. Continue until the object comes out, the person breathes normally, or emergency professionals take over.

Chest compressions may help dislodge the object.

If You Are Choking While Alone

• Call 911 if possible, even if you cannot speak.
• Leave the call connected.
• Perform abdominal thrusts on yourself.
• Place a fist above your belly button and pull inward and upward.
• You may press your upper abdomen forcefully against the back of a sturdy chair or a countertop edge.

Avoid sharp or unstable objects. Try to attract attention.

After the Object Comes Out

The person may still need medical evaluation.

Seek prompt care if:

• Abdominal or chest thrusts were used.
• Breathing remains difficult.
• Coughing or wheezing continues.
• The person feels that something is still stuck.
• Chest, throat, or abdominal pain develops.
• The person has difficulty swallowing.
• The person lost consciousness.
• The object was sharp, a battery, a magnet, or a chemical-containing item.
• The person is an infant or young child.

An object can remain in the airway or cause internal injury even after breathing improves.

Prevent Choking

• Cut food into manageable pieces.
• Chew thoroughly.
• Eat slowly.
• Avoid talking or laughing with food in your mouth.
• Do not eat while walking or running.
• Avoid excessive alcohol while eating.
• Keep small objects away from children.
• Follow age recommendations for toys.
• Supervise young children during meals.
• Prepare food appropriately for the person’s abilities.
• Seek evaluation for recurring swallowing problems.

Older adults, people with neurological conditions, and people with dental or swallowing difficulties may need modified food textures or professional swallowing support.

Do Not

• Give water to someone who is choking.
• Put your fingers into the mouth blindly.
• Use abdominal thrusts on an infant.
• Hang a child upside down.
• Shake an infant.
• Delay calling 911 for a complete blockage.
• Leave the person alone.
• Assume everything is fine immediately after the object comes out.
• Practice thrusts on another person outside an emergency.

Quick Choking Checklist

• Ask, “Are you choking?”
• Encourage forceful coughing when the person can breathe and speak.
• Call 911 for severe choking.
• Give five back blows and five abdominal thrusts to an adult or child over one.
• Use chest thrusts during pregnancy or when abdominal thrusts are not possible.
• Give infants five back blows and five chest thrusts.
• Begin CPR if the person becomes unresponsive.
• Remove an object only when clearly visible.
• Use an AED when available.
• Arrange medical evaluation after severe choking.

Suggested Guides

• Understanding CPR & How to Use an AED
• What to Do When Someone Is Unconscious
• Responding to Serious Difficulty Breathing or an Asthma Attack
• First Aid Basics: What Everyone Should Know
• Responding to an Allergic Reaction or Anaphylaxis
• Recognizing a Heart Attack or Stroke

Important Health & Safety Notice

The information in this guide is provided for general educational purposes only. Independence Answers is not a medical provider, and this content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or supervision. Always follow the instructions of your doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare professional, especially if you have a medical condition, take medication, or are unsure whether an action is safe for you.

Do not ignore or delay seeking professional care because of something you read here. If you believe someone may be experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.