Medical Home

Choking

Back blows and chest thrusts for adults, children and babies (ANZCOR).

000  Can’t cough, breathe or speak?

Call 000. Start back blows now.

Is it choking?

  • Clutching the throat (the universal choking sign).
  • Complete blockage: no breath sounds and no air coming out, can’t speak or cough.
Source: ANZCOR 4 Airway

Coughing well

  • Encourage them to keep coughing. Stay with them.
  • Call an ambulance if it doesn’t clear.
Source: ANZCOR 4 Airway

Not coughing well: 5 back blows, 5 chest thrusts

  1. Call 000.
  2. Give up to 5 sharp back blows with your hand in the middle of the back, between the shoulder blades. Check after each one whether it has cleared.
  3. If not cleared, give up to 5 chest thrusts: same spot as CPR compressions, sharper and slower.
  4. Keep alternating 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts.

Position

  • Adult or child: sitting or standing.
  • Infant: back blows with the baby head-down across your lap; chest thrusts with the baby head-down on its back along your thigh.
Source: ANZCOR 4 Airway
  • Abdominal thrusts (“Heimlich”) are not recommended.
  • No blind finger sweeps. Only remove an object you can see.
Source: ANZCOR 4 Airway

Becomes unconscious

  • Lay them down, remove any visible object and start CPR.
Source: ANZCOR 4 Airway

How to do CPR

Full guideline: ANZCOR Guideline 4 Airway (PDF).