Heimlich Maneuver Administration

Ask the individual if they are choking and look for signs of distress, like inability to talk, cough, or breathe.

If the person is indeed choking and cannot cough, speak, or breathe, immediately call for emergency medical help.

Before you begin, get consent from the choking individual if they're conscious. For children, obtain consent from the guardian if present.

Stand behind the person, wrap your arms around their waist, and lean them forward slightly.

Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side of your fist against the person's abdomen, just above the navel and well below the ribcage.

Grasp your fist with your other hand and make quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen. Continue until the object is expelled or the person becomes unconscious.

If the blockage is not removed, repeat the abdominal thrusts until medical help arrives or the blockage is dislodged.

For infants under one year old, perform back slaps and chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts: Hold the infant face down on your forearm, with their head lower than their torso, and give five firm back slaps between their shoulder blades. If the object doesn't dislodge, turn the infant over and give five chest thrusts using two fingers in the center of the chest.

If the person becomes unconscious, carefully lower them to the ground and begin CPR, checking periodically for the blockage in the throat.

Never perform the Heimlich maneuver on someone who can cough, speak, or breathe.

After a choking episode, have the individual seek medical attention to check for injuries and ensure no partial blockage remains.

Proper training is recommended before performing the Heimlich maneuver to avoid causing harm. Consider taking a certified first-aid course.