What should you do if an infant is choking but still responsive?

When an infant is choking but still responsive, the recommended action is to perform back blows followed by chest thrusts. This method is specifically designed for infants who are unable to effectively clear the airway on their own but are still conscious.

Performing back blows involves positioning the infant face down on your forearm and giving a series of firm, downward blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. This can help create pressure in the chest cavity and may dislodge the obstruction. If the back blows do not work, you then turn the infant over and administer chest thrusts, which should be done with two or three quick thrusts to the chest just below the nipple line. This combination of back blows and chest thrusts is effective in shifting the object blocking the airway.

Encouraging coughing might seem appropriate, but it is not the most effective strategy for an infant who cannot dislodge the object on their own. Abdominal thrusts are not appropriate for infants; this maneuver is designed for older children and adults. Starting CPR is a last resort, typically reserved for when the infant becomes unresponsive or stops breathing, rather than in cases when they are still showing signs of responsiveness. Thus, performing back blows followed by chest thrusts