When assisting a child who is choking, what technique is suitable?

When assisting a choking child, giving back slaps followed by chest thrusts is the recommended technique. This method is effective because back slaps can help dislodge the object from the airway while using chest thrusts provides additional force to expel the obstruction.

This two-part approach is specifically designed for children; back slaps are delivered between the shoulder blades while the child is leaning forward, allowing gravity to assist in dislodging the object. If the back slaps are ineffective, chest thrusts can be administered by positioning the child in a way that ensures safety and effectiveness. It's vital to create a balance of techniques that prioritize the child's physiological differences compared to adults, ensuring both their safety and the effectiveness of the response.

Using the Heimlich maneuver immediately or adult-sized abdominal thrusts are not suitable for children because their anatomy differs from that of adults, and using these methods could cause harm. Instructing the child to spit out the object is also not recommended, as choking can make it hard for the child to breathe and speak, making it difficult for them to follow such instructions. Thus, the back slaps and chest thrusts method is specifically tailored to the needs of a choking child for a more effective and safer response.