For infants experiencing FBAO, what method should be used to clear the airway?

For infants experiencing a Foreign Body Airway Obstruction (FBAO), the appropriate method to clear the airway involves a combination of techniques that prioritize safety and effectiveness given the delicate anatomy of infants. The correct approach is to deliver back blows followed by chest thrusts.

Back blows are given to help dislodge the obstruction by using gravity and force without causing further harm. These blows are administered with the infant faced down on the rescuer’s forearm, which helps maintain control. After administering back blows, if the obstruction does not clear, chest thrusts are performed while the infant is turned onto their back. This combination is essential since abdominal thrusts, which are effective for older children and adults, could potentially cause abdominal injuries in infants due to their smaller size and fragility.

The mention of a finger sweep is often misleading; it is not advisable to perform a finger sweep in the case of FBAO unless the object is visible and easily reachable because it could push the object further down the airway. Thus, the safest and most effective method for infants is to use back blows followed by thrusts to ensure the best chance of clearing the obstructed airway without causing additional injury.