Choking or choking is one of the most common causes of injuries in children between 6 months and 3 years of age. There are certain especially dangerous foods such as sausages, hard candies, whole grapes and nuts, although in making any food or piece it could get stuck in the trachea and cause choking.
What should we do if a child chokes? As parents, and really anyone who is usually in the care of young children, should have basic first aid notions and know how to act in case of choking.
Heimlich maneuver in children
If a child chokes, it is recommended that he cough to expel the piece that is obstructing the trachea. If it does not come out, the Heimlich maneuver.
The Heimlich maneuver is a practice that is performed in case of choking to expel the piece of food or object that is obstructing the airways.
It is performed on people who are still conscious and consists of compression or abdominal thrusts by placing the fist of one hand below the rib cage and above the navel.
With the other hand on top of the fist you have to press making a quick upward movement so that the object that is obstructing the airways comes out. If it does not come out, you must continue doing it again and again.
In Babies and more How to act if the baby chokes on milk?The pressure must be strong and fast, inward and upward, pushing until the foreign body that drowns the child comes out. If the child loses consciousness the cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers must be started.
Do not give fluids during choking or put your hand in your mouth; You could aggravate the suffocation.Heimlich maneuver in babies under one year old
Due to the fragility of babies, in children under one year of age the maneuver is different from that done in older children.
In case of baby, we should place it face down on the forearm or on your knees and hit him on the back (between the shoulder blades) with a hollow hand, firm but soft.
If the foreign body has not left, the baby should be turned around and compressed hard 5 times in a row in the center of the chest. Alternate slapping on the back with chest compressions until the foreign body is ejected, or until medical help arrives.
Here you have a video that explains the technique, and although I hope you do not have to do it, it is very important to know how to react in those moments when we panic and every second counts.
It is key to know what we should do when our baby suffers a choking, either with a piece of food or with any object that has been swallowed as a piece of a toy, a dice, a battery, a button, etc.
In Babies and more The 17 foods that cause more choking in children and how to offer them to avoid itPrevent to avoid accidents
When offering food to our children, in addition to offering them in a size that reduces the risk of suffocation when eating them, we must ensure that children eat calmly and without hurry and chew well. As with any food, you should avoid jumping, running or talking while eating.
Even so, even if we try to prevent accidents, accidents happen and it is convenient to be prepared to act quickly in case of choking.
