Australian quick reference
Child and infant choking
Australian first-aid steps for a choking baby or child.
The short answer
Call 000 for severe choking, use the age-appropriate back-blow and chest-thrust technique described by the call-taker, and start CPR if the child becomes unresponsive.
Use the age-appropriate position
Child over 1 or infant under 1?
If this is happening now, call Triple Zero (000) and stay on the line. A baby needs different positioning and force from an older child; follow the call-taker throughout.
| What you find | Do next |
|---|---|
| Child over 1, effective cough | Encourage a strong cough and watch closely. If it becomes ineffective or breathing worsens, call 000 and use the severe-choking sequence. |
| Child over 1, severe choking | Call 000, bend the child forward and give up to 5 back blows, checking after each. If not cleared, give up to 5 chest thrusts and keep alternating as instructed. |
| Infant under 1, severe choking | Call 000 immediately. Support the infant face-down on your forearm with the head lower than the body; give up to 5 back blows. If needed, turn them onto a firm surface and give up to 5 chest thrusts with 2 fingers. |
| Becomes blue, limp or unresponsive | Start CPR with compressions and follow 000. Remove only a visible object; never use a blind finger sweep or hang the child upside down. |
Four things to remember
See the next decision
These visual cues are a memory aid. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
If the child can cough and breathe, encourage coughing and watch them closely.
An effective cough or cry means some air is moving; stay close and watch.
Do not perform blind finger sweeps.
Any child or infant who cannot breathe, speak, cry or cough effectively needs immediate 000 help.
Illustrated field notes
See the situation, then choose the next safe action
These original illustrations support recall. They are not a substitute for the written steps, a current first-aid course or the Triple Zero (000) call-taker.
Visual memory cue
See the pattern before you practise
Use this simple visual reminder alongside the written steps. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
01
What to do first
- If the child can cough and breathe, encourage coughing and watch them closely.
- Call 000 for ineffective coughing or difficulty breathing.
- Use age-appropriate back blows and chest thrusts as instructed by the call-taker.
- Keep alternating while the obstruction remains or until the child becomes unresponsive.
- If unresponsive, start CPR and follow the call-taker.
02
What to avoid
- Do not perform blind finger sweeps.
- Do not hang a baby upside down.
- Do not give food or drink while they are choking.
03
When to call 000
- Any child or infant who cannot breathe, speak, cry or cough effectively needs immediate 000 help.
04
What to monitor
- Keep monitoring breathing and response.
Recognition cues
What you may notice
- An effective cough or cry means some air is moving; stay close and watch.
- Severe choking may mean the baby or child cannot breathe, cry, speak or cough effectively.
- The infant needs head support and a different position from a child over 1.
- The person may become unresponsive if the obstruction is not cleared.
Avoid these traps
Common mistakes
- Using adult abdominal thrust assumptions on a baby.
- Putting fingers into the mouth when the object cannot be seen.
- Holding an infant upright for back blows or hanging a child upside down.
- Waiting to call 000 or giving food and drink while the airway is blocked.
Babies and children need different techniques. Use the 000 call-taker instructions.
When help is on the way
Keep the handover useful
- Keep monitoring response and breathing after the object comes out; medical assessment may still be needed.
- Tell the ambulance crew what was swallowed, if known, and which actions were given.
Practise the pattern
Make it easier to remember
Common questions
Quick answers
Should I use abdominal thrusts on a baby?
Use the age-appropriate technique described by the Australian 000 call-taker.
What if the child can still cough?
Encourage the cough and watch closely. If the cough becomes ineffective or breathing worsens, call 000 and follow the age-appropriate instructions.
How should I hold a choking infant?
Call 000, support the infant face-down on your forearm with the head lower than the body and follow the call-taker through back blows and chest thrusts.
Should I hang a choking baby upside down?
No. Keep the baby supported and follow the 000 call-taker instructions for infant back blows and chest thrusts.
Separated effective coughing from severe choking, made the infant age boundary and positioning explicit, and added a calmer child/infant visual against current Australian airway guidance.