Choking is a common cause of injury and death in children. While this is scary, the good news is that choking is usually preventable. If you do observe a baby choking, follow the steps below in Choking First Aid for Infants and call 911. You can also learn more first aid skills before baby arrives and take a Red Cross Infant CPR/First Aide class.

Choking First Aid for Infants

Parents and caregivers can help prevent situations that may cause choking in infants by ensuring that:

1.  bottle fed babies are monitored and using proper flow on the nipple – don’t prop the bottle on a pillow or other device to feed.
2. only developmentally appropriate foods are offered 
3. small items that can fit in the mouth are never in baby’s reach

Coughing is the best way to clear a partially blocked airway, but if your baby is unable to breath, cough or make a sound, the airway may be totally blocked and your help is needed to clear it. Be prepared to help baby by reviewing the steps below to understand choking first aid.

While choking is a common cause of injury and death in children, but it doesn’t have to be.  Parents and caregivers can prevent situations that may cause choking in infants by ensuring that:

1. bottle fed babies are monitored
2. developmentally appropriate foods are offered, such as smooth foods only when solids are introduced
3. small items that babies or toddlers can grab and place in their mouths are never within the child’s reach.