In a choking situation, the material indicates you should not perform the Heimlich maneuver immediately.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only after calling EMS
• D. Only if coughing stops

Answer: (B)

Choking is a time-critical airway emergency. When someone is unable to breathe or speak and is clearly choking, you don’t wait to see what happens next—you act right away. The Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) is a rapid, life-saving technique used on conscious adults and children over 1 year to propel the object out of the airway. If the person can still cough forcefully or speak, you should not perform abdominal thrusts and should instead encourage coughing to clear the blockage. If the obstruction isn’t relieved, or the person becomes unresponsive, transition to CPR and call for emergency help. So, saying you shouldn’t perform the Heimlich immediately is not correct; prompt action is essential to improve the chances of clearing the airway.