In the same way that the other day we were talking about preventing burns in children, another important child safety issue, it's the choking, which can result in choking due to obstruction. In addition to exposing the basic guidelines to avoid them, we will introduce First Aid if they occur.
We consider choking when a 'foreign body' reaches the airway and obstructs it, so that the air has difficulties getting into the lungs. It is a vital emergency situation because the life of the person, in this case of a child, may be at stake. We know that we are facing a choking if the baby turns red / purple, and his cry is broken; in the case of older children, the unmistakable sign is that they put their hands clasped around their necks. Hoarseness, drooling, and noisy breathing may also occur..
When I talk about 'strange bodies', I mean small objects like marbles, a piece of eraser, a small piece of plastic,…; also to food or toy parts. Coins, button batteries and magnetic pieces are especially dangerous; and some foods such as nuts, grapes, sausages and hard candies They present a high risk due to their shape and consistency.
He who avoids the occasion will avoid the danger
There is a tip parents get when the baby starts to move around by crawling or crawling: 'get at his height and walk around the house with the eyes of a child' this way you will be able to detect the possible dangers to which they are exposed. In truth, since he is able to grasp things with his hands, there is a risk, that's why you should not leave foreign bodies within reach (For example when the child is in the high chair and next to it there is a table where you usually deposit coins).
In older children it is recommended prevent them from accessing beads, tacks, marbles, small parts of construction, spheres of games with magnets, very small toys, stationery material such as clips, ... Remember to check the manufacturer's recommendation in the case of toys, to make sure that they are suitable for children under three years of age; remember also that just because a child is over 3 does not guarantee that they will behave safely; rather it depends on his character.
Balloons, which are apparently a fun and innocuous object, can be dangerous (a lot), not only can they block the passage of air, but they stick to the inner walls of the windpipe. Avoid inflating them with your mouth in front of the child and discard broken balloons immediately..
Regardless of your rules at mealtime, it would be good if the little ones did not play while chewing, because inadvertently aspiration can occur and the food moves to the wrong place. If the children are very young, chop or crush the foodThis is more important to me than the fact that they learn to use cutlery. Pay attention to sausages, meat, hard cheese, raw charles, grapes, candy. Remember that to give them whole nuts, there are professionals who advise waiting until six years, including popcorn (See our article on how to introduce complementary feeding)
Eat with your children, to be aware of the unforeseen, and warn the big brothers to take the same care as you.
I remember that nuts are the most frequent cause of choking; they are followed by balloons and toy pieces
How to distinguish a mild obstruction from a severe one
Identifying the type of obstruction allows act quickly and without aggravating the situation (maximum of non-nocturnal primum: : first, do no harm). Broadly speaking:
- Partial or mild obstruction: The child may cough, talk, or cry; some airflow is maintained, and the coloring is normal. In this scenario, encourage him to cough and watch him closely. Don't perform maneuvers or hit him on the back.
- Complete or severe obstruction: weak or ineffective cough, cannot speak, breathe or cry, possible blue tint on lips/skin and hands to neck (universal sign of choking). Here you should ask for help at 112 and initiate clearing maneuvers according to age.
In infants and young children changes are rapid, so close monitoring is critical and Every second counts.
Prevention at the table: safe cuts and habits that protect
Many obstructions occur while eating. More than half of the cases are concentrated in under 3 years and a very high percentage is due to nuts. Dietary prevention drastically reduces the risk:
- Grapes and round fruits: cut them lengthwise into rooms (never in wheels), removing skin if it is hard.
- Hot dogs: instead of slices, cut them into longitudinal strips and then into small pieces.
- Raw carrot and apple: offer them grated, cooked or in very thin sticks for the little ones.
- Bread and meat: small pieces, soft texture and well moistened; avoid dry and large bites.
- Nuts and popcorn: postpone integers until school age and always with supervision.
Also, take care of your posture: sitting upright, without running, playing or laughing while chewing. Accompany the mealtime calmly and No distractions as screens.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Don't put your fingers in blindly in the mouth: only remove the object if you can clearly see it and it is accessible; otherwise you could push it further in.
- Do not give water or food to “push” the choking; increases the risk of aspiration.
- Do not hit the back If the cough is effective, you may be able to turn a partial obstruction into a complete one.
- Do not hang the child upside down nor use dangerous home methods; accidents continue to be reported due to these practices.
Action in case of choking
Before I have already explained the symptoms, and I need to add, that in extreme situations, the face and lips turn purple, later the person loses consciousness. It is a process that takes a very short time (minutes), that is why it is so important to act, but always keeping CALM, otherwise it is likely that our actions will not take effect.
Reflectively, anyone who chokes tends to cough to expel the body, if so, do not hesitate to encourage the baby or child to cough, without doing anything else. In case the cough is ineffective and the object / piece of food has not come out, proceed as follows:
The child is conscious
First call the emergency number (which as you know is 112), and then start the help. If you are alone with the minor and do not have hands-free, start maneuvers for approximately one minute and call as soon as possible or activate the hands-free system to notify.
Check the inside of the mouth, if we see the foreign body, try to extract it, But without pushing it in!
If we have not seen anything in the oral cavity, knock five times with the heel of your hand on the upper part of your back.
When this does not work we will perform chest or abdominal compressions (Heimlich maneuver) depending on the age of the child, starting a cycle: look at the mouth - hit back 5 times - 5 compressions.
The result it may be that the child expels the object and breathes again or lose consciousness; Remember that in advance we will notify the emergency services that in the worst case, they will act to save the life of the injured person.
A frequent mistake is when due to nerves we begin to hit the back of a child who chokes, without observing anything else, if we do not follow the proposed steps correctly it is likely that our performance will not be of any use
The graphs that I am showing you come from the En Familia website (from the AEP), and you can see in detail the correct procedureNow you're probably wondering, what should I do if the baby/child is unconscious and the ambulance hasn't arrived? It's definitely a critical situation. still it is necessary to 'arm yourself with courage' and continue to remain calm.
The child is unconscious
- You lay it on a hard surface and check the inside of the mouth, if there is an object, try to remove it carefully.
- Opens the airway: it is done by holding the forehead with one hand and pushing the chin up with the other.
Check that he breathes, if he does, do not stop watching until someone arrives to help you. - If he is not breathing, it is time to breathe air into the little one, checking that the chest moves.
- I know that getting to this is scary, normally in cases of choking you should not reach this measure, but you should know how to act just in case: your mouth should encompass the child's nose and mouth (if this is small), and blow air repeating five times.
- In cases where this does not work (the chest does not rise), you have to start combining with resuscitation maneuvers by performing 30 chest compressions (center of the thorax, below the nipples) and alternate them with two 'mouth-to-mouth' breaths. Breathing is checked every two minutes, and it is used to see if the object has come out.
When performing resuscitation, remember key details to increase effectiveness: rate of 100-120 compressions per minute, approximate depth of one third of the thoracic diameter (about 4 cm in infants and 5 cm in children), ventilations that raise the chest Without overinflating, check the mouth every 2 minutes to see if the object remains accessible. If you're alone and haven't called yet, after about a minute of CPR, try to contact emergency services.
Below a video on the subject of Suavinex - The Happy Mothers Club, which will clarify all your doubts and give you the confidence to act in the event that (I sincerely hope you don't find yourself in that situation) you ever have to act.
Remember that the most important thing is that you know how to stay calm and intervene decisively. And don't forget that you can avoid these situations through the necessary prevention.
When to go to the emergency room after choking
Even if the child expels the object and breathes well, there are situations in which it is advisable be assessed by professionals:
- Persistent cough, hoarseness, wheezing or noisy breathing after the episode.
- Chest pain or discomfort when swallowing that does not subside.
- Possible aspiration of fragments (e.g., nuts), or you doubt that the object is still housed.
- Choking with button batteries, powerful magnets, thorns or bones: immediate attention, even if they appear asymptomatic.
If during home observation you notice bluish coloration, marked drowsiness, repeated vomiting or worsening of breathing, returns to call 112.
If you swallow water while playing or swimming: aspiration of liquid
In water play, sometimes the little ones swallow or aspirate small amounts of waterThe usual response is a brief cough that clears the airway, and the episode resolves without complications. Stay calm. encourage him to cough and place it in comfortable semi-seated position, watching him for a few minutes.
In rare cases, aspiration can irritate the airways and cause signs that appear after several hours (what is popularly known as delayed drowning). Pay special attention to: cough that doesn't go away, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, bruised lips or unusual tirednessIf they appear, consult.
To reduce risks in the water: constant supervision, teach basic safety rules, sessions of familiarization with the aquatic environment and choosing approved flotation devices appropriate for their size and age (remember that do not substitute adult supervision).
Training that makes a difference
Knowing the essentials of pediatric first aid gives you confidence to act and can be decisive. Consider taking courses where you can practice obstruction clearance maneuvers and CPR on a pediatric mannequin, understand the age differences and practice the sequence of actions. Practicing in a controlled environment is the best way to reduce nerves in the face of a real emergency.
Daily prevention, safe routines at the table and at the game, and calm and decisive intervention when necessary are your best allies. mass surveillance, proper habits y initial and continuous, the risk of suffocation due to choking is minimized and, if it occurs, you will know what to do in each scenario.