Choking relief is not the same for every age. The size and strength of a child changes how you position them and how much force you use, which is why classes teach adult, child and infant techniques separately.
Why infants are different
An infant is supported along your forearm, with the head lower than the chest, and you use back blows and chest thrusts with much less force than for an adult. Abdominal thrusts are not used on infants.
Children
For a child who cannot breathe, cough or speak, the technique is closer to the adult one, adjusted for the child’s size. If the child becomes unresponsive, call for help and start CPR.
This article is general information. Our First Aid class covers choking relief for all ages with hands-on practice.
