Do you know what to do if the person seated next to you in a restaurant begins to choke? What would you do if your child suddenly chokes on a hotdog? Knowing the right way to help a choking person can literally be a matter of life or death.

The most important thing to remember is not to panic. If you panic you may also cause the person who is choking to panic. Panic can also cause you to forget everything you've learned about first aid.

It is a good idea to take a CPR training class.

The first step in helping a choking person is to ask them, "Are you choking?" If the person is really choking, he or she will not be able to talk. If the person can answer you, don't attempt to help them. Chances are they will dislodge the food or obstruction on their own.

If the person cannot talk, you will have to provide assistance. At this point, it is a good idea to ask someone to call an ambulance. If you are not able to dislodge the food and the person loses consciousness, the sooner medical help arrives, the less risk for the victim. If you are the only person with the choking person, do not leave them, immediately begin to help.

If the choking person is standing, get behind him or her and wrap your arms around their waste. Make a fist with one hand and wrap the other hand around the fist. With an inward and upward motion, thrust your fist just below the person's breastbone but above their waist. Repeat the thrusting motion six to ten times.

If the person is seated, kneel down behind his or her chair and wrap your arms around him. Follow the same thrusting procedure as you would for a person who is standing.

If the person loses consciousness, or is unconscious when you come upon them, lay them on their back. With your finger, check the person's mouth for the object that is causing the choking. If you feel the object, try and dislodge it. If you are unable to feel the object, then you will need to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Special precautions must be taken for pregnant women, an obese person and children. For a pregnant woman or an obese person, do not apply thrusts to the abdomen. Move your fist up to the person's chest. Repeat the thrusting motion six to ten times. If a child is choking, the type of help you provide depends on the age of the child. For a child over two years of age, give abdominal thrusts, as you would for an adult, except lessen the force with which you thrust. If the child is under two years of age, place the child over your knee, with his or her abdomen resting on your thigh. With the heel of your hand, thrust four times between the child's shoulder blades. Make sure you use your other hand to support the child's head. If the child is still choking, turn him or her over onto his back and apply four thrusts straight down on the child's breastbone. If this fails, you should begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

There are several things you can do to prevent choking. The first, and perhaps most important, is to eat slowly and chew your food completely. If you have a child, make sure the child stays seated while he or she is eating. Children can easily choke because they are running around or playing while they are eating. If you have a baby or toddler in your home, make sure any small objects, such as toy parts or coins, are kept out of the child's reach. Babies put everything in their mouths, therefore any small object becomes a choking risk.

If you are in a situation where someone is choking, above all, don't panic. Follow these steps and you could save a life.