Asphyxial deaths: infant choking first aid: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Asphyxial deaths: infant choking first aid

Sample item

An 8-month-old infant is choking on a peanut, is conscious but cannot cry or cough effectively. What is the recommended first-aid manoeuvre?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts

In infants under 1 year with severe airway obstruction the recommended manoeuvre is 5 back blows alternating with 5 chest thrusts, with the head lower than the trunk. Abdominal thrusts risk injury to the liver and are used from 1 year onward. Blind finger sweeps may push the object deeper.

Option by option

  • A. Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts (correct)

    Correct. Back blows and chest thrusts are recommended for infants.

  • B. Blind finger sweep of the mouth

    A blind sweep can impact the foreign body further.

  • C. Wait for spontaneous cough

    An ineffective cough demands active relief, not waiting.

  • D. Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich manoeuvre)

    Abdominal thrusts are for children older than 1 year and adults.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. In infants under 1 year with severe airway obstruction the recommended manoeuvre is 5 back blows alternating with 5 chest thrusts, with the head lower than the trunk.

Why is "Blind finger sweep of the mouth" not the answer?

A blind sweep can impact the foreign body further.

Why is "Wait for spontaneous cough" not the answer?

An ineffective cough demands active relief, not waiting.

Why is "Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich manoeuvre)" not the answer?

Abdominal thrusts are for children older than 1 year and adults.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Asphyxial deaths: infant choking first aid in Forensic Medicine. Abdominal thrusts risk injury to the liver and are used from 1 year onward. Blind finger sweeps may push the object deeper.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Asphyxial deaths: infant choking first aid?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.