While Waiting professional help

If the Person Is Conscious but Not Able to Breathe or Talk:

1. Give Back Blows

Give up to 5 blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.

2. If Person Is Still Choking, Do Thrusts If the person is not pregnant or obese, do abdominal thrusts:

Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around the waist. Place your clenched fist just above the persons navel. Grab your fist with your other hand. Quickly pull inward and upward. Continue cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is coughed up or the person starts to breathe or cough. Take the object out of his mouth only if you can see it. Never do a finger sweep unless you can see the object in the person's mouth.

If the person is obese or pregnant, do high abdominal thrusts:

Stand behind the person, wrap your arms them, and position your hands at the base of the breast bone. Quickly pull inward and upward. Repeat until the object is dislodged.

3. Give CPR, if Necessary If the obstruction comes out, but the person is not breathing or if the person becomes unconscious:

For a child, start CPR for children.

If youre alone with a child or baby who is unresponsive and not breathing (or only gasping), call for professional help after youve done 2 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If someone else is present, shout for the person to call for professional help and locate an AED (a defibrillator) right away while you begin CPR. If a child or baby is unconscious but you see regular breathing, call for professional help and wait for help. A breathing child or baby does not need CPR, but one that is gasping does.

3.1. Check to see if the child is conscious.

Make sure you and the child are in safe surroundings. Tap the child gently. Shout, Are you OK?" Look quickly to see if the child has any injuries or medical problems.

3.2. Check Breathing

Place your ear near the childs mouth and nose. Is there breath on your cheek? Is the childs chest moving?

3.3. Begin Chest Compressions If the child doesnt respond and isnt breathing:

Carefully place child on back. For a baby, be careful not to tilt the head back too far. If you suspect a neck or head injury, roll baby over, moving entire body at once.

For a baby, place two fingers on breastbone, For a child, place heel of one hand on center of chest at nipple line. You also can push with one hand on top of the other. For a child, press down about 2 inches. Make sure not to press on ribs. For a baby, press down about 1 1/2 inches, about 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of chest. Make sure not to press on the end of the breastbone. Do 30 chest compressions, at the rate of 100 per minute. Let the chest rise completely between pushes. Check to see if the child has started breathing. Continue CPR until emergency help arrives.

3.4. Do Rescue Breathing

To open airway, lift childs chin with one hand. At the same time, tilt head by pushing down on forehead with other hand. Do not tilt the head back if the child may have a neck or head injury. For a child, cover mouth tightly with yours. Pinch nose closed and give breaths. For a baby, cover mouth and nose with your mouth and give breaths. Give child two breaths, watching for chest to rise each time. Each breath should take one second.

3.5. Repeat Compressions and Rescue Breathing if Child Is Still Not Breathing

Two breaths can be given after every 30 chest compressions. If someone else is helping you, you should give 15 compressions, then 2 breaths. Continue this cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the child starts breathing or emergency help arrives. If you are alone with the child and have done 2 minutes of CPR (about 5 cycles of compressions and breathing), call for professional help and find an AED.

3.6. Use AED as Soon as Available

For children under 9 years old, use a pediatric automated external defibrillator (AED), if available. If a pediatric AED is not available, or for children age 1 and older, use a standard AED.

Turn on AED. Wipe chest dry and attach the pads. The AED will give you step-by-step instructions. Continue compressions and follow AED prompts until emergency help arrives or the child starts breathing.

For an adult, start CPR for adults.

3.7. Check Responsiveness

Tap the person's shoulder and shout, "Are you OK?" Look for normal breathing. Call for professional help if there is no response. Start hands-only CPR. Hands-Only CPR should not be used for adults whose cardiac arrest is due to drug overdose, near-drowning, or an unwitnessed cardiac arrest. In these cases, do a conventional CPR combination of chest compressions and rescue breathing.

3.8. Do Chest Compressions

Place the heel of your hand on the center of the person's chest. Place the heel of your other hand on top of your first hand, lacing fingers together. Keep arms straight and your shoulders directly over your hands. Push hard and fast, compressing chest at least 2 inches. Let chest rise completely before pushing down again. Compress at least 100 times per minute.

3.9. Stop Only if:

The person starts breathing normally. A trained responder or emergency help takes over. You are too exhausted to continue. There is an automated external defibrillator (AED) to use.

3.10. Use an AED As Soon As It's Available

Turn on the AED. It will give you step-by-step instructions. Wipe chest dry. Attach the pads. Plug in connector, if needed. Make sure no one is touching the person. Push the "Analyze" button if necessary. If a shock is advised, push the "Shock" button. Resume compressions and follow AED prompts.

4. Follow Up When emergency medical personnel arrive, they will take over and may do CPR or take the person to the hospital, if needed.