What should you do to assist a responsive infant who is choking?

When an infant is choking but still responsive, the correct course of action is to perform back slaps. Kneeling with the infant in your lap is an effective position as it allows you to support the infant’s head and maintain control while using gravity to help dislodge the obstruction. By delivering a series of firm back slaps between the infant’s shoulder blades, you can create enough force to help expel the object blocking the airway.

This method is preferred because it leverages the infant’s natural anatomy and the principle of gravity to assist in removing the object. If back slaps do not relieve the obstruction, the next step would typically be to perform chest thrusts as part of an alternating sequence of back slaps and chest thrusts, while ensuring the infant remains in a safe, secure position. The other options discussed do not effectively address the immediate need in a responsive infant who is choking.