Lateral chest thrusts are a method of compressing the chest to assist someone who is choking and has stopped breathing. You would use this maneuver primarily on children, and some smaller adults, who might otherwise be injured from the Heimlich maneuver. Lateral chest thrusts are also easier to administer, because people unfamiliar with anatomy do not need to find, or avoid, bony landmarks such as the solar plexis. If you are in a situation where you need to use lateral chest thrusts, you, or someone else on-site, should also call 9-1-1.
Step 1
Sit on a chair and lay the infant or child face-down across your knees. This puts the head lower than the chest and allows gravity to assist with clearing any obstructions that may be blocking the child's airway.
Step 2
Place each of your hands on either side of the child's chest, just below the armpits.
Step 3
Press your hands toward each other in four quick thrusts. This action increases the pressure in the chest cavity and forces air out of the lungs.
Step 4
Turn the child over and clear any dislodged food or debris from his mouth. Hold your cheek next to his mouth and nose to check for breathing.
Step 5
Return the child to the start position and repeat the lateral chest thrusts every 60 seconds if the blockage is still there. Turn the child over, clear any dislodged obstructions and check for breathing after each set of thrusts.
Step 6
Lay the child face-up on the floor, tilt her head back and cover her nose and mouth with yours if the obstruction is gone but she is still not breathing.
Step 7
Initiate infant CPR -- cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- by pressing two fingers into the center of the chest, just below the nipples, 30 times. Deliver two gentle breaths into the child's nose and mouth, after the chest presses, to assist breathing.
Step 8
Repeat the lateral chest thrusts, or sideways compressions, and breaths until help arrives or the child starts breathing on his own.
Things You'll Need
- Chair
