What To Do If The Baby Chokes On Eating?
One of the most distressing situations that parents live is when the baby chokes. This can happen more often than you think, as the baby is still learning to swallow. Therefore, it is important to know what to do if your baby chokes while eating.
First and foremost, it is essential that you remain calm. Most of the time, babies are able to recover from a choking on their own.
Although every parent’s reaction is to give mouth-to-mouth breathing, this method is not recommended. By doing this, the baby will cut off his breath by reflex action, which will make his recovery even more difficult.
Why do babies choke?
In the breastfeeding stage, especially from birth to six months, choking is caused by the food dispenser. Babies usually tend to suckle vigorously, which increases the flow of fluid, whether bottle-fed or from the mother’s breast.
In any of these cases, it is important to try to control the milk dosage. In the bottle it is easier, because the flow can be controlled through the nipple. In the case of breast milk, the mother can take some milk before feeding the baby. In this way, the liquid flow decreases.
Another cause of suffocation in newborns or young children has to do with gastrointestinal or stomach problems. When babies suffer from gastrointestinal reflux, they constantly regurgitate milk, which in many cases causes suffocation.
When children are six months old, they start eating solid foods. At this stage, it is important to avoid offering too large or hard pieces that could cause suffocation. Likewise, a child should never be left alone while eating.
What to do if the baby chokes on eating?
If the baby chokes on eating, you should remain calm and analyze what caused the problem. If you are a child, the drowning is most likely due to the rapid sucking of milk. In this case, you should lift the baby a little so that he coughs and is able to relieve himself.
When the asphyxia continues despite the cough, it is necessary to place the baby on his stomach, place his chin on the base between your thumb and index finger, and support the baby’s head slightly downwards.
The rest of your body should be taller than your head. This measure seeks that, by simple gravity, the liquid comes out and the baby vents.
The next step will be to pat the baby’s shoulder blades between them. This measure is also applied when it is suspected that the obstruction occurred due to a piece of food. If the crisis continues, you will need to place the baby on her back and press your thumbs into the center of the chest.
At all times, it is important to make sure that the baby is holding his breath and that he has not lost consciousness. Likewise, the color of your mouth should be monitored. A purple line around the lips indicates that the baby cannot breathe.
In this case, this is an indicator that the maneuvers did not work and therefore it is advisable to go to the emergency room immediately.
What could be the consequences of a choke?
The first thing that happens when the maneuvers don’t serve their purpose is that the baby loses consciousness. This is due to lack of air.
Given this situation, mouth-to-mouth breathing should be applied to try to regain the baby’s consciousness. It is important to bring the baby back to himself because unconsciousness can lead to death.
While choking on food intake is always a possibility in babies, it is important to avoid accidents. When it comes to a child, the ideal is that it is fed in a semi-sitting position. Also, at no time should it be completely reclined.
If your baby is in the food initiation phase, he or she should start with soft foods that are easy to dissolve or crush with the gums. Finally, it’s also important to offer water to help you swallow.
