In cases of suspected foreign body obstruction in the airway, what is the first step you should take?

In the scenario of suspected foreign body obstruction in the airway, the first step should indeed be to encourage coughing. Coughing is the body's natural response to clear the airway of obstructions. This reflex can effectively expel many foreign objects if they are lodged but not fully obstructing the airway.

When you encourage the patient to cough, you are facilitating a potentially effective means of dislodging the foreign body. This tactic is vital because it helps to maintain the patient’s ability to breathe on their own while minimizing the risk of causing further injury by performing more invasive interventions prematurely.

The other options involve more invasive procedures or methods that are not suitable as initial responses to a suspected airway obstruction. For example, performing a cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure that is indicated only when a patient cannot be intubated and is at risk of respiratory failure; it is not the first step in managing a suspected foreign body obstruction. Starting chest compressions would only be necessary in a cardiac arrest scenario, and providing high-flow oxygen does not address the obstruction directly, which is the immediate concern. Therefore, encouraging coughing is the most appropriate first response.