To open the airway of a six-month-old, you should:

In infants, including a six-month-old, the correct method to open the airway is to place the head in a neutral position. This approach maintains the natural curvature of the infant's airway, allowing for proper alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and tracheal passages. The anatomy of infants is significantly different from that of adults; their airways are shorter, softer, and more flexible, making it essential to avoid positions that could obstruct airflow.

Placing the head in a neutral position prevents excessive flexion or extension that could lead to airway obstruction. In this neutral posture, the airway remains open and unobstructed, which is crucial for ensuring effective ventilation during emergencies.

Other techniques, such as hyperextending the head or tilting it back further than normal, can compromise the airway by either bending the airway sharply or placing excessive pressure on soft tissues. Similarly, while the jaw thrust maneuver can be useful in certain cases to open the airway, it is less commonly used for infants unless there is a need to avoid cervical spine movement.