For a choking infant, which method is indicated to remove a foreign object?

• A. Use your pinky
• B. Use a pair of tweezers
• C. Perform mouth-to-mouth only
• D. Tap the back of the infant

Answer: (A)

When an infant is choking and the obstructing object is clearly visible in the mouth, the quickest and safest move is to remove it with a gentle finger sweep using the pinky finger. The pinky is small enough to reach into a tiny infant’s mouth without pushing the object deeper or causing injury, so if you can see and grasp the object, this direct method is the most effective first step.

If you can’t see the object or can’t reach it, you should proceed with the established steps for an infant choke scenario—back blows between the shoulder blades and chest thrusts as needed, and call for help. Tools like tweezers are not appropriate in this situation because they can injure the airway, and performing mouth-to-mouth alone won’t clear a real obstruction. Simply tapping the back isn’t a complete action by itself.