Which technique is used for delivering the Heimlich maneuver to an infant?

Which technique is used for delivering the Heimlich maneuver to an infant?

• A. Abdominal thrusts
• B. Chest thrusts
• C. CPR
• D. Back blows

Answer: (D)

Infant choking is treated with back blows rather than abdominal pressure because babies have delicate anatomy and the midsection is more vulnerable to injury from abdominal thrusts. The back blows approach uses gravity and a controlled strike between the shoulder blades to help dislodge the object with less risk to the infant. To perform, hold the infant face-down along your forearm with the head lower than the chest and support the head, then deliver five firm blows between the shoulder blades. If the object doesn’t dislodge, flip the infant onto their back and give five chest thrusts with two fingers just below the nipple line. CPR is for when the infant is unresponsive or not breathing, not the initial response to a choking episode. So, back blows are the best initial technique for relieving an airway obstruction in an infant.

Infant choking is treated with back blows rather than abdominal pressure because babies have delicate anatomy and the midsection is more vulnerable to injury from abdominal thrusts. The back blows approach uses gravity and a controlled strike between the shoulder blades to help dislodge the object with less risk to the infant. To perform, hold the infant face-down along your forearm with the head lower than the chest and support the head, then deliver five firm blows between the shoulder blades. If the object doesn’t dislodge, flip the infant onto their back and give five chest thrusts with two fingers just below the nipple line. CPR is for when the infant is unresponsive or not breathing, not the initial response to a choking episode. So, back blows are the best initial technique for relieving an airway obstruction in an infant.