f. Repeat Backblows and Chest Thrusts. Repeat the series of five backblows
and five chest thrusts until the obstruction is expelled or until the infant looses
consciousness.
(1) If the obstruction is expelled, check the infant for breathing. Administer
rescue breathing or CPR (lesson 6) as needed if the infant does not resume breathing
on his own.
(2)
If the infant loses consciousness, use the procedures given in paragraph
7-4.
7-4.
REMOVE UPPER AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION IN AN UNCONSCIOUS INFANT
The steps given below assume the infant lost consciousness while you were
administering rescue thrusts [paragraph 7-3f(2)] or you discovered an airway
obstruction while performing rescue breathing [paragraph 6-4c(2)]. If a head or spinal
injury is suspected, administer chest thrusts and finger sweeps, but do not administer
backblows. The procedures given in the following paragraphs assume that no head or
spinal injury is present.
a. Call for Help. Call for help if you have not done so and determine
unresponsiveness.
b. Position Infant for Foreign Body Check.
(1) Small infant. Turn the infant face up with your arm under the infant's
back so your hand is supporting the back of his head and your forearm is under his
spine. Rest your forearm on your thigh so the infant's head is lower than his trunk.
(2) Large infant. If the infant is too large to straddle your arm, lay the
casualty's body across your thighs with his face up and his head lower than the trunk of
his body. Position the arm that will not be used to remove the object under the infant's
body with the hand supporting the infant's head and neck.
c. Open the Infant's Mouth. Open the infant's mouth using a tongue-jaw lift
technique.
(1) Place the thumb of one hand (the hand not supporting his head) into his
mouth and over his tongue.
(2)
Wrap the fingers of the hand around his lower jaw.
(3)
Lift the jaw and tongue forward.
MD0532
7-6