x
Breaking News
More () »

Trooper saves life of choking 3-month-old

The trooper dislodged an object in the baby's throat. Here's how to do the same in an emergency.
Credit: Arizona DPS

MESA, Ariz. — An Arizona state trooper is being commended after removing an object from a 3-month-old's throat, saving the baby's life. 

Trooper Matthew Bryan was off-duty at his home in Mesa when his neighbors began pounding on his door, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said. The neighbors asked Bryan to help save their child, who was turning blue in the face.

The trooper took action, performed a maneuver, and cleared the child's airway, the department said. Paramedics from the Mesa Fire Department arrived shortly after to treat the infant on the scene.

If an infant is ever choking and cannot breathe, the American Red Cross lists different procedures for whether the infant is conscious or not. 

If the infant is conscious, the Red Cross says to give five back blows with the heel of one hand between the infant's shoulder blades, followed by five thrusts using two or three fingers in the center of the infant's chest.

If the infant is unconscious, give a rescue breath, give 30 chest compressions, and look for and remove the object, followed by two more rescue breaths.

Read the red cross' full pediatric first aid reference here.

RELATED: 

Before You Leave, Check This Out