Final answer:
The preferred initial method of removing a foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive patient less than one year of age is by performing back blows and chest thrusts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The preferred initial method of removing a foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive patient less than one year of age is by performing back blows and chest thrusts.
- Place the infant face down on your forearm, with their head lower than their body.
- Use the heel of your hand to deliver up to five firm back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades.
- If the obstruction does not clear, turn the infant onto their back and perform up to five chest thrusts. Place two fingers on the center of the infant’s chest, just below the nipple line, and compress the chest about one and a half inches.
- Repeat the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts until the obstruction is cleared or emergency medical help arrives.
It is important to note that if the infant becomes unresponsive, CPR should be initiated immediately.