When a person is choking and cannot breathe or speak, after summoning resources and obtaining consent, what is the next step you should take?

When a person is choking and cannot breathe or speak, the immediate response is crucial for their survival. After ensuring that help is on the way and obtaining consent, performing a series of 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts is the next appropriate step. This technique is known as the Heimlich maneuver or abdominal thrusts.

This method is specifically designed to create an artificial cough that can help expel the obstruction from the airway. The back blows help to dislodge the object by using force applied to the back, while the abdominal thrusts increase intra-abdominal pressure, which can help push the object out of the airway. Effectively alternating between these two techniques increases the chances of clearing the obstruction.

While other options might seem reasonable, they either do not address the immediate need to clear the airway or are not appropriate given the severity of the choking scenario. Simply looking into the mouth for an object could potentially cause further harm. Encouraging someone who cannot breathe or speak to cough is ineffective since they are unable to do so. Starting CPR is reserved for situations where the person is unresponsive or not breathing, which is after attempts to clear the obstruction have failed. Thus, performing back blows and abdominal thrusts is the best initial response in