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What to do if…
someone is choking and cannot breathe or speak

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Start choking first aid immediately. Shout for help, have someone call 999 or call on speaker as soon as practical, and continue until the blockage clears or the person becomes unresponsive.

Do not do these things

  • Do not leave the person alone while the choking continues.
  • Do not give them food, drink or medication.
  • Do not put your fingers into their mouth unless an object is clearly visible and easy to remove.
  • Do not use blind or repeated finger sweeps.
  • Do not give abdominal thrusts to a baby under 1 year old or a pregnant person.
  • Do not hold a baby upside down by their feet.
  • Do not delay standard first aid while searching for a video or suction device.

What to do now

  1. Ask, “Are you choking?” If the person cannot answer, cough effectively or breathe, treat this as severe choking and act immediately.
  2. Shout for help. If someone else is present, send them to call 999 and say that a person is choking. If you are alone, use your phone on speaker and call as soon as practical while continuing first aid. For a baby or child, call as soon as possible. For an adult, call if the blockage remains after the first cycle of back blows and abdominal thrusts.
  3. For an adult or child over 1 year old, support their chest and lean them well forward. Give up to 5 sharp back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, checking after each blow whether the blockage has cleared.
  4. If the blockage remains and the person is not pregnant, give up to 5 abdominal thrusts. Stand behind them, put a clenched fist between the belly button and the bottom of the breastbone, grasp it with your other hand, and pull sharply inwards and upwards.
  5. If the person is pregnant, do not give abdominal thrusts. Call 999 immediately if this has not already been done, continue back blows, and follow the call handler’s instructions.
  6. For a baby under 1 year old, support the head and neck and hold the baby face down along your thigh or forearm, with the head lower than the body. Give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades. If the blockage remains, turn the baby face up on your knees and use the two-thumb encircling technique to give up to 5 sharp chest thrusts over the lower half of the breastbone. Check after each blow or thrust.
  7. If the person remains conscious and the blockage has not cleared, continue alternating up to 5 back blows with up to 5 abdominal thrusts for an adult or child over 1, or chest thrusts for a baby. Stop as soon as they can cough, breathe, speak or cry effectively.
  8. If the person becomes unresponsive, support them onto a firm surface and make sure 999 has been called. Start CPR immediately for an adult. For a baby or child, give 5 initial rescue breaths and then start paediatric CPR. Follow the 999 call handler’s instructions and remove an object only if it is clearly visible and easy to reach.
  9. If the blockage clears, watch the person’s breathing and arrange assessment by a healthcare professional to check for injury or any remaining obstruction.

What can wait

You do not need to identify the exact object, clean the area, decide why the choking happened, contact other people or plan how to prevent another incident now. Focus only on clearing the airway, getting emergency help and watching the person’s breathing.

Important reassurance

You do not need perfect technique before acting. Prompt first aid can give the person the best chance, and the 999 call handler can guide you while help is coming.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Medical assessment, recovery and later prevention may require help from healthcare professionals or an accredited first-aid trainer.

Important note

This is general first-aid information, not a substitute for emergency services, medical advice or practical first-aid training. During an active choking emergency, call 999 and follow the call handler’s instructions.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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