CHOKING

ONE
Ask the person if they choking and if the person nods yes ask them if they can speak. If the person shakes their head to say no or can not make any sounds, carry out the following. Try to reassure the casualty.

TWO
Bend them forwards and encourage them to cough. Give up to 5 sharp blows to the back between the shoulder blades.

THREE
If this fails give them abdominal thrusts also known as the Heimlich manoeuvre. This forces air out of the windpipe by the sudden inward and upward movement of the abdomen against the diaphragm. Use the fist of one hand pointing inward just above the person’s navel. Cover the fist with the other hand and thrust inward and upward towards the person's head.

FOUR
Repeat this thrust action until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

In the case of a choking infant, lay the baby along your arm, head down. Using the heel of your hand slap the baby between the shoulder blades up to 5 times. Similarly an older child can be placed over your knee, head down and slapped between the shoulder blades.

If the person becomes unresponsive:

	Dial 999 and call the Emergency Services
	Follow CPR procedure for unresponsive person. Everytime you open the airway, look for the foreign object and if you see it, remove it.