Which airway maneuver is recommended for an infant under 1 year with airway obstruction and inadequate air exchange?

Which airway maneuver is recommended for an infant under 1 year with airway obstruction and inadequate air exchange?

• A. Abdominal thrusts
• B. 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts
• C. Chest compressions
• D. Finger sweep

Answer: (B)

For an infant under one year with airway obstruction and inadequate air exchange, the best approach is to deliver five back blows followed by five chest thrusts. This sequence is designed specifically for infants, whose airway and chest anatomy differ from older children and adults. Back blows, delivered with the infant held face-down along your forearm, help create air movement and dislodge the object by using a quick, upward force between the shoulder blades. If the obstruction isn’t cleared, turning the infant and giving five chest thrusts with two fingers on the lower half of the sternum increases intrathoracic pressure to push the object upward and outward. Abdominal thrusts are not used in infants because they can cause injury and are less appropriate for this age group. A finger sweep should only be performed if you can see the object clearly and can remove it without pushing it deeper; otherwise, avoid sweeping. Chest compressions are reserved for unresponsive infants or those in cardiac arrest, not for a conscious choking scenario with inadequate air exchange.

For an infant under one year with airway obstruction and inadequate air exchange, the best approach is to deliver five back blows followed by five chest thrusts. This sequence is designed specifically for infants, whose airway and chest anatomy differ from older children and adults. Back blows, delivered with the infant held face-down along your forearm, help create air movement and dislodge the object by using a quick, upward force between the shoulder blades. If the obstruction isn’t cleared, turning the infant and giving five chest thrusts with two fingers on the lower half of the sternum increases intrathoracic pressure to push the object upward and outward.

Abdominal thrusts are not used in infants because they can cause injury and are less appropriate for this age group. A finger sweep should only be performed if you can see the object clearly and can remove it without pushing it deeper; otherwise, avoid sweeping. Chest compressions are reserved for unresponsive infants or those in cardiac arrest, not for a conscious choking scenario with inadequate air exchange.