How to Save Someone Who is Choking

Choking is the leading cause of death for children under 4 years old. And most adult deaths from choking occur in folks over the age of 74. So, it would be a great gift to learn a skill to save the life of the young and elderly members in your family. If you ever wanted to be the hero for your family, this is one of the skills that could make all the difference in the world when it comes to life and death.

Important update: the American Heart Association’s 2025 Guidelines changed the recommended choking response. Abdominal thrusts alone are no longer the whole story; you now alternate 5 back blows with 5 abdominal thrusts. The steps below reflect the new guidance.

So, let’s break down this simple lifesaving skill for you step by step.

Steps on how to save someone who is choking

  1. First, determine if they are choking. It helps to know how to recognize the signs of choking in adults, children and infants. If they are coughing, have them continue to cough to expel the object.
  2. If they are unable to speak, cough, or breathe, this requires immediate action. Have someone call 9-1-1 while you go to work, and tell the victim you are going to help them.
  3. Lean the victim forward and deliver 5 firm back blows with the heel of your hand, right between the shoulder blades.
  4. If the object has not come out, deliver 5 abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich Maneuver). Move behind the victim with one leg forward between the victim’s legs. Find the belly button with one finger, place the thumb side of your fist just above it, grasp your fist with your other hand, and pull in and up at the same time. This creates pressure on the diaphragm, forcing air from the lungs up through the airway and pushing the object out.
  5. Keep alternating 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or the victim becomes unresponsive. If the victim becomes unresponsive, carefully lower them to the ground, have someone call 9-1-1 if you have not already, and begin CPR.
  6. For a child, you will use the same technique, except you will get down on one knee to be at their level.
  7. For an infant, never use abdominal thrusts. Support the infant face down along your forearm with the head lower than the chest and give 5 back blows between the shoulder blades, then turn the infant face up and give 5 chest thrusts with the heel of one hand in the center of the chest. Repeat until the object comes out or the infant becomes unresponsive.

And if you are ever alone and choking, you can perform abdominal thrusts on yourself; every adult should know that trick too.

Demonstration Video:

This is a technique you can practice with a family member so you can get comfortable with the mechanics of this skill. Sign up for our free CPR and First Aid training and share with your family and friends.

In my 33 years of service as a firefighter, there was one thing that pained me to hear. When the family member said “I just didn’t know what to do”. If people only knew how simple it really is to save lives. That’s when I started teaching in 1991. As an American Heart Association Instructor for the last 32 years, I have trained over 170,000 people in the art of saving lives. I also realized I can only train so many people with in person classes. This online CPR course changes all that.