Choking Emergencies: What to Do if You or Someone Nearby is Choking

It happens in a flash. Dinner is going great, then someone clutches their throat, their face turns red, and the room goes silent. Choking emergencies are terrifying because they are immediate. With the right steps, you can make the difference.

Recognizing Choking vs. Coughing

Forceful coughing means not fully blocked. If they can cough, speak, or breathe, encourage strong coughing and monitor closely.

Silent struggle means true choking. If they cannot speak, cough, or breathe and are clutching the throat, the airway is blocked and you must act now.

Noise is good, silence is not.

Step 1: Encourage Forceful Coughing

• Stay calm, tell them to keep coughing hard.
• Do not pat the back while upright, this can worsen the obstruction.
• Be ready to switch to thrusts if the cough becomes weak or stops.

Step 2: If Unable to Breathe, Use Abdominal Thrusts

Adults and Children Over 1 Year

• Stand behind the person, wrap your arms around the waist.
• Make a fist, place it just above the navel, below the ribcage.
• Grab your fist with the other hand.
• Deliver quick, inward and upward thrusts into the abdomen.
• Repeat until the object comes out or the person becomes unresponsive.

Infants Under 1 Year

• Lay the baby face down on your forearm, support the head and neck.
• Give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
• If not cleared, turn the baby face up, give 5 chest thrusts with two fingers just below the nipple line.
• Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the airway is clear or help arrives.

Step 3: If the Person Becomes Unresponsive

• Lower to the ground, call 911 if not already done, or send someone to call.
• Begin CPR if you are trained. Start with chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute. Each time you open the airway to give breaths, look for the object and remove it if you can see it. Do not blind sweep.
• Continue until the person breathes, an AED is ready, or professionals take over.

Step 4: Self-Care if You Are Choking and Alone

• Make a fist and place it just above your navel, grab the fist with your other hand.
• Drive quick, upward thrusts into your abdomen.
• Or lean over a sturdy chair back, railing, or countertop and thrust your upper abdomen against the edge, repeat until cleared.

Step 5: Aftercare Matters

• Seek medical evaluation even if the object is expelled. Internal bruising, swelling, or small tears can occur.
• Watch for complications, chest or throat pain, trouble breathing, persistent coughing, fever.
• Support emotional recovery, choking is traumatic and people may feel shaken afterward.

Prevention Tips

• Cut food small, especially for children. Grapes, hot dogs, hard candies, and nuts are common hazards.
• Chew thoroughly, avoid talking or laughing with food in the mouth, slow down.
• Supervise children around toys with small parts and around food.
• Be mindful of medical conditions that affect swallowing, use extra care during meals.

Safety Skills That Carry Everywhere

Choking can happen at home, in restaurants, schools, child care, health care, and office break rooms. Quick recognition and decisive action save lives. To build confidence across emergencies, explore our Workplace Safety: Crisis Management and Emergency Planning Training Course.

Wrapping It Up

• Recognize coughing vs. true choking.
• Encourage strong coughing if air is moving.
• Use abdominal thrusts if they cannot cough or breathe.
• Call 911 early, start CPR if unresponsive.
• Get medical follow up, focus on prevention next time.

References

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – FDA Encourages the Public to Follow Established Choking Rescue Protocols

MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine – Choking, Heimlich Maneuver, CPR, First Aid

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Choking Hazards, Infant and Toddler Nutrition

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Atlantic Research Team

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The Atlantic Research Team is our in-house editorial staff. Content published under this name is a collaborative effort, written and reviewed by multiple safety and HR specialists to ensure all information is accurate, practical, and up to date.

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