First Aid for Choking and CPR for Babies (6-12 months)

How to Tell if Your Baby is Choking

A choking baby:

• Cannot cry, cough, or make sounds
• May have a scared look on their face
• May turn blue or purple around the lips
• Cannot breathe

Quick Steps for a Choking Baby

If Your Baby Can Cough:

• Let them cough – their body is trying to clear the airway
• Stay with them and watch closely
• Do not pat their back or try to remove the object if they are coughing

If Your Baby Cannot Cough or Breathe:

1. Call 911 right away (or have someone else call)
2. Place baby face down on your forearm
3. Support their head and neck with your hand
4. Keep their head lower than their body
5. Give 5 back blows (hits) between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand

If the object doesn’t come out:

1. Turn baby over onto their back (still on your arm)
2. Place two fingers in the middle of their chest just below the nipple line
3. Give 5 quick chest thrusts (pushes), about 1 per second
4. Keep going between 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until:
   • The object comes out, OR
   • Baby starts to breathe or cough, OR
   • Baby becomes unconscious (passes out)

CPR for Babies (If Not Breathing)

If your baby is not breathing:

1. Call 911 (or have someone else call)
2. Place baby on a flat, hard surface
3. Check for breathing – look at chest movement for 5-10 seconds
4. If not breathing, start CPR:

Step 1: Open the Airway

• Place one hand on the forehead
• Gently tilt the head back a little (not too far)
• Lift the chin with two fingers of your other hand

Step 2: Give 2 Rescue Breaths

• Cover baby’s mouth AND nose with your mouth
• Give 2 small gentle breaths (1 second each)
• Watch for chest to rise with each breath

Step 3: Give Chest Compressions

• Place two fingers in the middle of the chest, just below the nipple line
• Push down about 1.5 inches (about 1/3 of the chest depth)
• Push at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute (about 2 per second)
• Let the chest come back up between each push
• Do 30 compressions

Step 4: Repeat

• Continue with 2 breaths followed by 30 compressions
• Keep doing this until:
  • The baby starts breathing, OR
  • Help arrives, OR
  • You are too tired to continue

Important Things to Remember

• Learn CPR before you need it if possible (Call 211 to inquire about opportunities to learn CPR in the community)
• Stay calm (babies can sense your fear)
• Call 911 first or have someone else call while you help your baby
• Even if your baby seems fine after choking, call their doctor
• Take a CPR class to practice these skills

When to Call 911

Call 911 right away if your baby:

• Is choking and cannot breathe
• Becomes unconscious (passes out)
• Turns blue or purple
• Is not breathing

How to Prevent Choking

• Always watch your baby during meals
• Cut food into tiny pieces (smaller than a pea)
• Avoid round, hard foods like grapes, nuts, popcorn, and hard candy
• Check toys for small parts that could break off
• Keep small objects off the floor and away from baby
• Never prop a bottle or give food to a baby lying down

References

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). First Aid for Choking. HealthyChildren.org.
2. American Heart Association. (2021). Infant CPR and Choking. heart.org.
3. American Red Cross. (2022). Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. redcross.org.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Choking Prevention for Children. cdc.gov.
5. Mayo Clinic. (2022). Choking: First Aid. mayoclinic.org.
6. Stanford Children’s Health. (2021). Safety for Your Child: 6 to 12 Months. stanfordchildrens.org.