When an individual is choking, what action should be encouraged?

Encouraging the person to continue coughing is appropriate because coughing is the body's natural mechanism for clearing the airway. When someone is choking but is still able to cough effectively, it indicates that their airway is partially obstructed, and the individual is still getting some air into their lungs. This reflexive action can help dislodge the obstruction on its own.

Coughing generates pressure and can create a force that might expel the lodged object from the airway. It's important to allow the person to attempt to resolve the obstruction naturally if they can effectively cough. Monitoring their condition is crucial, as if their ability to cough diminishes or they cannot breathe at all, more aggressive measures would then need to be taken, such as abdominal thrusts or chest thrusts as indicated in other responses.