What is the first step to take when it is believed a person may be choking?

What is the first step to take when it is believed a person may be choking?

• A. Make a thumbless fist
• B. Perform abdominal thrusts
• C. Apply a cold compress to face
• D. Determine if the victim can speak or cough

Answer: (D)

The first step when you think someone may be choking is to quickly check whether they can speak or cough. This tells you how blocked the airway is. If they can talk or cough, air is still getting through, so the priority is to encourage coughing and monitor the person—do not jump to helping with thrusts yet. If they cannot speak or cough, that signals a complete obstruction, and you should call for help and begin appropriate choking interventions right away. The other options don’t address what to do first: checking ability to speak or cough guides the next action, while cold compresses don’t help with an airway blockage, and performing abdominal thrusts is something you do after determining the severity of the obstruction.

The first step when you think someone may be choking is to quickly check whether they can speak or cough. This tells you how blocked the airway is. If they can talk or cough, air is still getting through, so the priority is to encourage coughing and monitor the person—do not jump to helping with thrusts yet. If they cannot speak or cough, that signals a complete obstruction, and you should call for help and begin appropriate choking interventions right away. The other options don’t address what to do first: checking ability to speak or cough guides the next action, while cold compresses don’t help with an airway blockage, and performing abdominal thrusts is something you do after determining the severity of the obstruction.