Which action represents the first step in airway management for a newborn with suspected airway obstruction based on the material's guidance?

• A. Hyperextend the head
• B. Slightly extend the head
• C. Use chin lift to extend the head
• D. Use the jaw thrust

Answer: (B)

The first step in opening a newborn’s airway is to position the head in a slight, gentle extension to align the airway axes. In neonates, a small tilt helps bring the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal structures into better alignment and allows the tongue to move away from the airway, making air passage easier. Hyperextending the neck can worsen obstruction by misaligning the airway and promoting tissue collapse, especially given a newborn’s anatomy. The chin lift and jaw thrust are useful in other contexts, but they’re not the initial step for a suspected obstruction in a healthy newborn; the chin lift may not reliably open the airway in infants, and the jaw thrust is more invasive and typically reserved for specific situations. So, a slight head extension is the best first action to optimize airway patency.