First Aid: Abdominal Thrusts for Choking (Adult or Child)

Follow these first aid steps when someone is choking. You may hear these steps called the abdominal (belly) thrust maneuver, or sometimes by the older name, Heimlich maneuver.

Call 911

Call 911 if the person loses consciousness.

Step 1. Identify choking

• Ask the person if they are choking. If they can't cough or speak, say that you will help.

Step 2. Grasp from behind

• If the person is an adult or a child age 1 year or older, move behind them. Slide your palms under their arms, bringing your hands together in front of their body.

• Make a fist with one hand, placing the flat surface of the thumb and first finger slightly above the bellybutton.

• Note: If pregnancy or extreme overweight makes this impossible, give thrusts inward against the middle of the victim's breastbone.

Step 3. Thrust in and up

• Cover your fist with the other hand, keeping your elbows away from your body.

• Pull in and up quickly, using hard thrusts to force air from the person's lungs. This pops out the blockage.

• Repeat thrusts until the person coughs or speaks. or they become unresponsive.

Step 4. Proceed to CPR

• If the person becomes unresponsive, call for help and activate the emergency response system.

• Do CPR if you are trained.