What To Do If The Baby Chokes While Eating?
One of the most distressing situations that parents experience is when the baby chokes. This can happen more often than you think, since the baby is still learning to swallow. Therefore, it is important to know what to do if the baby chokes while eating.
Above all, it is essential to remain calm; most of the time, babies are able to recover from choking on their own.
Although every parent’s reaction is to blow their face, this method is not recommended. By doing so, the baby will cut off his breathing by a reflex action, which will make it even more difficult for him to recover.
Why do babies choke?
In the lactating stage, especially from birth to six months, choking is caused by the food dispenser. In general, babies tend to suck vigorously, which increases the flow of the liquid, whether it is fed through a bottle or through the mother’s breast.
In any of these cases, it is important to try to control the dosage of the milk. In the bottle it is simpler, because it can be controlled through the nipple; in the case of breast milk, the mother can express a little milk before feeding her baby. In this way, the flow of liquid decreases.
Another cause of choking in newborns or young children has to do with stomach or gastrointestinal problems. When babies suffer from GI reflux, they are constantly spitting up milk, which in many cases causes choking.
When children reach six months of age, they start eating solid foods. At this stage, it is important to avoid offering very large or hard pieces that could cause choking. Similarly , a child should never be left alone while eating.
What to do if the baby chokes while eating?
If the baby chokes while eating, keep calm and analyze what caused the problem. If it is an infant, the choking is most likely due to a rapid suction of milk; In this case, the baby must be incorporated a little so that he can cough and be able to vent on his own.
When the choking continues despite the cough, the baby must be placed on his stomach, his chin placed at the base between the thumb and index finger and his head slightly downwards; the rest of your body should be higher than your head. This measure seeks that, by simple gravity, the liquid comes out and the baby vent.
The next step will be to pat between the child’s shoulder blades. This measure is also applied when it is suspected that the obstruction is due to a piece of food. If the crisis continues, it will be necessary to place the baby on his back and press with the thumbs in the center of the chest.
At all times it is important to make sure that the baby is holding his breath and has not lost consciousness. Similarly, the color of their mouth should be monitored; a purple line around the lips indicates that the baby cannot breathe. In this case, as if the maneuvers do not work, it is advisable to go immediately to the emergency room.
What could be the consequences of a choking?
The first thing that happens once the maneuvers do not serve their purpose is that the baby loses consciousness; this is due to lack of air. In this situation, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should be applied to try to regain consciousness. It is important to get the baby to come to, because this state can lead to death.
Although choking due to food intake is always a possibility in babies, it is important to prevent any accidents. When it comes to an infant, the ideal is to be fed in a half-sitting position; at no time should you be completely lying down.
If the baby is in the food initiation stage, you should start with soft foods; make it easy for you to dissolve or crush with your gums. Finally, it is also important to offer him water to help him swallow.
