Misconceptions about first aid for baby choking
Release time : 05/25/2025 09:30:02
Because young babies are greedy, they often grab something and stuff it into their mouths. I believe every mother has encountered the resulting choking.
But because of an adult's wrong feeding, the baby even choked to death and died. Such a tragedy is worth our warning.
Recently, a 3-year-old baby was choking on a steamed bun, and the mother tried to force water on him instead. This caused the baby's breathing to be obstructed, ultimately missing the golden opportunity for rescue.
When a baby is choked by an object, how should it be treated? Mothers must learn this well! Common misconceptions in baby choking rescue: When a baby chokes, many mothers' first reaction is to give water or pat the back. However, this approach is incorrect. Within the "Golden 5 minutes" after a baby chokes, mothers must avoid the following four misconceptions: Misconception one: It's believed that giving water immediately after a baby chokes is necessary. This is wrong because food can expand when given water, which will further block the baby's throat and cause respiratory obstruction.
Additionally, excessive drinking by infants may lead to choking, and if food is inhaled into the lungs, it can cause aspiration pneumonia or asphyxiation.
Misconception Two: Strongly patting the baby's back to encourage expulsion of food. Some mothers habitually pat their babies' backs to help expel food, thinking it helps with the esophagus but not the trachea. However, patting the back is beneficial for the esophagus but detrimental to the trachea. It can cause deeper blockages in the esophagus.
Misconception 3: At times of urgency, some mothers may use their fingers to pinch the baby's throat, hoping that the baby will spit out the food when they feel nauseated. However, this method is unreliable. When food enters the pharynx and is pinched with the fingers, it can only make the situation worse as the food becomes more deeply lodged, which is not conducive to its expulsion. Moreover, it could potentially lead to swelling of the pharyngeal mucosa and other serious complications.
Misconception 4: Encouraging infants to drink vinegar with large mouthfuls and then allowing them to drink vinegar in large amounts after swallowing can also be harmful. This approach is unwise because the acidity of vinegar is high, which can easily damage the esophagus when it aids in quickly sliding food down.
Correct Emergency Management for Baby Choking: If the baby is severely choked, it's essential to take emergency measures within five minutes. Mothers must not miss this crucial opportunity.
So, what is the correct and effective way of performing first aid? MamaNet's encyclopedia teaches us how to use the Heimlich maneuver. Let's watch this! The principle behind the Heimlich maneuver is to imagine the human lung as a balloon, and the trachea as a mouthpiece. If there are foreign objects in the airway, you can pinch the balloon, which would force the air to rise and push the object out.
This method is used in emergency situations of baby choking, and the correct procedure is as follows: For babies under one year old, a mother kneels on the ground, picks up the baby, places the baby's head down and supports it against her own knees, then places her hands on the back between the two shoulder blades of the baby, and vigorously strikes them five times. Then, she turns the baby over and presses her index finger and middle finger into the baby's chest for five times.
If the food has not been expelled, repeat the operation until the food is expelled.
For babies over 2 years old: The mother stands behind the baby and places both hands between the baby's navel and sternum. Then, one hand is clenched into a fist and the other wraps around it to apply pressure on the baby's chest. Continue pressing this way several times until the baby spits out the food.
Please take note that after the incident, you should take your child to the hospital for further examination to prevent damage to the throat and internal organs caused by food.
Preventing Baby Choking: As babies have delicate esophageal walls and immature swallowing mechanisms, they are prone to choking. Therefore, it's essential for mothers to learn several preventive tips. Start by setting achievable goals. Here are seven preventive tips that every mother should master.
Tips1: Babies under the age of 3 should not eat peanuts, sesame flowers, shredded squid, nuts and other foods, and mothers should not put these foods within their reach.
Tip 2: Encourage good habits in babies. Avoid letting them put things into their mouths, and don't let them eat while playing, laughing, running or walking.
Tips 3: Before giving a toy to your baby, check if the parts of the toy are loose. Also, avoid toys that are too small as they could easily be swallowed accidentally.
Tips 4: If your baby's chewing ability is not yet mature, try to feed them by cutting up the food. Additionally, always remind them to chew the food thoroughly before swallowing it and not to eat hastily.
Tip 5: When your baby is crying, do not immediately feed them; this can easily lead to choking and other discomforts such as aspiration.
Tips6: Don't let your baby eat while lying down. It's best for your mother to accompany you during meals to reduce the chance of choking.
Tips7: If your baby often chokes or coughs, your mother should be more vigilant, because this is a manifestation of esophageal cancer, so you should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible, just in case.
First aid methods for foreign objects stuck in your baby's throat In life, in addition to being easily choked on food, there are also many foreign objects that once put into your baby's mouth, will lead to more dangerous consequences than choking on food.
As a smart mother, of course, we should mark these "dangerous foreign objects" and their correct handling methods: 1. If the baby swallows the drug by mistake and accidentally swallows the drug, it is best not to induce vomiting immediately. We should understand the side effects of the drug. If the drug is weak and the side effects are small, the baby can drink milk to relieve it. On the contrary, the baby should be taken to the hospital immediately and bring the container of the drug that was swallowed by mistake together so that the doctor can understand the situation.
2. Swallowing desiccant by mistake. The baby swallows desiccant by mistake. Mother must first determine the type of desiccant. If it is non-toxic silica gel, no treatment is needed. If the ingredients contain slightly irritating iron trioxide and calcium chloride, you should take your baby to the hospital for examination.
3. Swallowing chewing gum by mistake. The baby swallows chewing gum by mistake. Mom doesn't have to worry too much, because although chewing gum cannot be digested, it is not easy to stick to the throat with a large amount of secretions.
Mothers only need to let the baby eat more crude fiber foods to stimulate the baby's gastrointestinal peristalsis, and chewing gum will be expelled with the cake.
4. Accidentally swallows sharp objects such as head pins and small forks. When the baby is playing, he accidentally puts sharp objects into his mouth, such as pins and small forks. In this case, mothers cannot blindly provide first aid. In order to prevent the baby from being stabbed in the mouth and throat, the baby should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible.
5. If a baby swallows round objects such as buttons or coins, if the object has not lodged in the throat, mothers can encourage the baby to eat more fibrous vegetables to strengthen gastrointestinal motility and facilitate the expulsion of the round object. However, if it does not pass out after 3 days, it should be taken immediately to the hospital for medical consultation.
The medical content mentioned in this text is for reference only.
If you feel unwell, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately, and the medical diagnosis and treatment will be subject to offline diagnosis.