1. Confirm airway obstruction by checking for serious breathing difficulty, an ineffective cough or a weak cry.
2. Give 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. Then, attempt to ventilate.
3. Repeat step 2 until effective or the infant becomes unconscious.

If infant is or becomes unconscious..

4. Activate the EMS system.
5. Open the infant's mouth. If you can see the object, remove it. Do not perform a blind finger sweep.

6. Open the airway and attempt to ventilate. If still obstructed, reposition the airway and try again.
7. Give 5 chest compressions as if you are performing CPR.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until effective.

1. Ask the child "Are you choking?"
2. If they can speak, encourage them to cough and clear the obstruction themselves. If they are unable to answer.
3. Give abdominal thrusts and repeat until effective or the child becomes unconscious.

4. Activate the EMS system.
5. Open the child's mouth and if you see the object, remove it. Do not perform a blind finger sweep.
6. Open the airway and attempt to ventilate. If still obstructed, reposition the airway and attempt to ventilate again.
7. Perform up to 5 chest compressions as if you are performing CPR.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until effective.

1. Establish unresponsiveness. If help is available, ask them to activate the EMS system.
2. Open the airway using the head tilt-chin lift method. Check for breathing; look, listen and feel for 5 seconds.
3. Give 2 slow breaths (puffs of air 1 to 1.5 seconds per breath). Watch the chest rise and allow time for exhalation between breaths.
4. Check for signs of circulation and the brachial pulse. If breathing is absent but pulse is present, provide rescue breathing (1 breath every 3 seconds, at a rate of about 20 breaths per minute).
5. If no signs of circulation or pulse, give cycles of 5 chest compressions at a rate of at least 100 per minute, followed by one slow breath.
6. After about 1 minute of CPR, check a pulse. If you are alone, now is the time to activate the EMS system. If no pulse, continue 5:1 cycles.

1. Establish unresponsiveness. If help is available, have them activate EMS.

2. Open the airway using the head tiltchin lift method. Check for breathing; look, listen and feel for 5 seconds.

3. Give 2 slow breaths (1 to 1.5 seconds per breath). Watch the chest rise and allow time for exhalation between breaths.

4. Check for signs of circulation and the carotid pulse. If breathing is absent but a pulse is present, provide rescue breathing (1 breath every 3 seconds, at a rate of about 20 breaths per minute).

5. If no signs of circulation or pulse, give cycles of 5 chest compressions at a rate of at least 100 per minute, open the airway and provide 1 slow breath. Repeat this cycle.

6. After about 1 minute of CPR, check a pulse. If you are alone, now is the time to activate the EMS system. If no pulse, continue 5:1 cycles.

Fever is the most common cause of seizures in infants and children. Fortunately, this type of seizure usually lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes. When you see a prolonged seizure, recognize that the longer it lasts, the more serious it is, possibly becoming a life-threatening situation. Here are some of the major causes of seizures in infants and children:

• Fever
• infections
• Decreased oxygen level in the brain Poisoning/overdose
• Low blood sugar
• Trauma/shock

The guidelines for treating seizures in children include making certain EMS is activated. Do not try to restrain the child during the seizure. Move any toys or furniture away to prevent injury. Once the seizure is over, complete your initial assessment paying close attention to their airway. In some cases, a physical assessment is indicated especially if they injured themselves during the seizure. When the seizure is over, you can expect the child to act tired and lethargic. Once EMS is on the scene, provide them with a handoff report. Your observations of what happened during the seizure can often assist EMS in determining the cause and save valuable time.

Cooling a child down by placing them in tepid water is sometimes necessary if  their fever rises too quickly. A quick rise in temperature is more dangerous than a gradual increase.

All of the items listed as possible causes of seizures can also cause an infant or child to have a decreased level of responsiveness. A decreasing level of responsiveness is a bad sign in children. Do a thorough assessment and try to determine the underlying cause. Call 911 to get help on the way and continue to monitor the child's ABC's.

One of the saddest and most tragic situations anyone can encounter is that of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Medical science has been unable to determine what causes SIDS but studies show that sleeping positions are reducing the incidence. The American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending that infants are put to sleep on their back or side. SIDS usually occurs in infants less than 6 months of age and the child is often discovered lifeless after it has been sleeping. Resuscitation efforts on a SIDS patient are almost never successful, but it is always best to do the ABC's and perform CPR while you wait for EMS to arrive. Try to comfort and calm the parent or caregive who, as you can imagine, will be in extreme emotional distress.

As with any traumatic situation, pay close attention to the mechanism of injury and recognize that infants and children are physically more flexible than adults. Because of this, children may have significant internal injuries without showing obvious external signs. Trauma care for children, such as controlling bleeding or stabilizing fractured limbs, is the same as for adults but with more patience and explanation.

Child abuse is any improper or excessive action that causes injury or harm to a child. By comparison, child neglect is insufficient attention or respect that results in a negative effect on a child's well-being. Some first aid providers, such as law enforcement officers and day care workers, may have a legal responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities.

When caring for an infant or child that you suspect has been abused or neglected, you should avoid confronting or accusing the parents or caregiver. This will instantly produce an unstable, dangerous scene for you as well as the child. You should attempt to provide emergency care as indicated. During your hand-off report to EMS, make your concerns known, but do so quietly or in private so as not to create an unstable scene. Finally, you should follow occupational policies or regulations for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect in the workplace.

As every parent knows, children love to put things in their mouths. There are over a million cases of childhood poisonings reported every year. Some are serious, others are not. All can potentially result in airway problems. Keeping pills in child-proof containers can help limit the possibility of children getting their hands on potentially lethal medications. Cleaners & household chemicals should also be kept out of reach of children. Plants are another poisoning concern for children. Whenever an r ingestion is suspected, call for EMS 'immediately! Be prepared to tell the dispatcher what, when and how much was ingested.