Emergencies and resuscitation

How to help a choking infant

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

In infants, abdominal thrusts are not used. Back blows and chest thrusts alternate.

Step by step

  1. Recognize

    Cannot cry, cough or breathe. [1]

  2. Back blows

    Infant face down on your forearm, head lower, jaw supported; 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades. [1]

  3. Chest thrusts

    Turn face up, head supported; 5 thrusts with two fingers on the center of the chest just below the nipple line. [1]

  4. Repeat

    Until the object comes out or the infant becomes unresponsive. [1]

  5. Unresponsive

    Call for help, start infant CPR, look in the mouth before breaths. [1]

  6. After

    Medical check even if it resolves. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

VMS cases that train this skill

14 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC
  2. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  3. NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)

Facts and steps follow AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC; NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines; NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.