The American Heart Association has released its 2025 CPR & First Aid Guideline updates, and one of the most important changes involves how to respond to severe choking in adults, children, and infants. These updates make the steps clearer, more consistent, and easier to follow in high-stress situations.
Adults: Start With 5 Back Blows
For adults with a severe foreign-body airway obstruction:
• Begin with 5 back blows. Use the heel of your hand to deliver firm strikes between the shoulder blades.
• If back blows do not clear the obstruction, perform 5 abdominal thrusts. Make a fist, place it just above the navel, grasp it with your other hand, and give a quick, upward thrust.
• Continue alternating 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.
• If the person becomes unresponsive, activate EMS and begin CPR.
This update places back blows first, reflecting research showing they can be highly effective and easier for bystanders to perform immediately.
Children: Same Steps as Adults — Plus Early EMS Activation
For children with a severe airway obstruction:
• Give 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts.
• Continue repeating cycles of 5 and 5 until the object is cleared or the child becomes unresponsive.
• Call 911 early — the AHA emphasizes early activation of the emergency response system for children.
These steps mirror the adult sequence, improving consistency and making them easier for rescuers to remember.
Infants: Back Blows and Chest Thrusts
For infants under 1 year:
• Provide 5 back blows, keeping the infant face down with the head lower than the chest.
• Turn the infant face up and deliver 5 chest thrusts.
• Use the heel of one hand on the lower half of the sternum, about 1 thrust per second.
• Repeat alternating 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until:
• The object is expelled or
• The infant becomes unresponsive.
• Activate EMS early.
The infant technique remains distinct, but the AHA emphasizes clearer positioning and deliberate, effective thrusts.
Why These Updates Matter
The AHA’s 2025 changes aim to:
• Make the steps more consistent across age groups Improve bystander confidence
• Increase the chances of removing the obstruction quickly
• Emphasize urgent EMS activation and rapid progression to CPR if needed
Choking emergencies escalate in seconds — but with updated training and effective action, lives can be saved. Stay Prepared Superior Life Services offers the most current AHA First Aid and CPR training, including these 2025 updates.
Learn more or register at: www.SuperiorLifeServices.com
