Children, especially those between the ages of one and five, have a habit of putting things in their mouths. It is seen in almost all children, this is how they want to know the world. When children put marble, rubber or some such small things in their mouths, many times it gets stuck in their throats, they start choking.
The first thing to do to avoid such accidents is to keep these things out of the reach of children.
However, despite all the precautions, such accidents can happen. When the baby starts to choke, it will catch your eye or someone else's. For some other reason, your child may start eating or coughing. How do you know if something is getting stuck in your throat, or for some other reason? If the cough starts suddenly, if the child does not have any problems like fever, runny nose, cough or whooping cough at that time and if your child has a habit of putting such things in his mouth - then you may suspect that something is stuck in your child's throat.
What to do as soon as you understand
If you open the baby's mouth and see something stuck in the throat, take it out carefully. But don't blindly poke with your fingers, as getting stuck in it can get the thing deeper and increase the danger.
If the child is coughing loudly, then there is no need to do anything. Let the child cough, tell him to cough louder. Stay with the baby. The thing stuck with the cough may come out
If the child cannot cough properly or has difficulty breathing, cry for help. Try to understand if the child has knowledge
If the baby has knowledge and cannot cough properly, keep patting the baby on the back
Back slapping rules for children under one year of age
Keep the baby in such a way that the head is down, which can often cause the object to get stuck in the throat due to the gravitational mass. To do this you sit down or bend your knees half-seated, with the baby's head down and the baby in your arms.
Do not press on the soft area under the baby's jaw to remove the object stuck in the throat, as this can cause the object to get deeper and increase the risk.
In the middle of the baby's back, slap the upper part of the palm of your hand five times loudly.
Back slapping rules for children over one year of age
‘Back slapping’ is much more effective if you can keep the baby’s head hanging down
When the baby is small, you sit down, lay the baby horizontally on your lap, and hang your head.
As the baby gets older, hold the baby and help him to lean forward as much as possible. Then pat the back from the back
If patting the back does not work and even then the child has knowledge, try pressing on the chest. Chest pressure in children under one year of age, abdominal pressure in children over one year of age. This will start the child's cough, the cough may come out of the object stuck in the throat.
Chest pressure rules for children under one year of age
To do this, you sit or bend your knees half-sitting, with both hands on your thighs, and place the baby on its back.
Now press two fingers on the breast bone in the middle of the baby's chest in such a way that the breast is bent like a third.
Abdominal pressure in children over one year of age
Bend your knees behind the baby or stand up straight, with both hands under the baby's armpits, and place your hands along the upper part of the baby's abdomen in a grip.
Now, with one hand clenched, place it under the breast bone in front of the baby's chest, where the end bones of the two side joints meet.
Now hold the wrist of this hand with the other hand, then press the baby's abdomen upwards and inwards with both hands.
Press it five times in a row
Care should be taken not to put pressure on the baby's ribs, as this can damage the ribs
After putting pressure on the chest or abdomen, try to understand the condition of your baby
Even then, if the stuck object does not come out and the child still has knowledge, continue the whole process. First patting the back then pressing the chest or abdomen - keep doing it
If no one has come for help yet, shout for help
The child should not be left alone under any circumstances
If the child becomes unconscious due to overeating
If the child becomes unconscious at the beginning of the meal or loses consciousness while trying to save your life, place the child on a flat surface.
Shout for help
Do not leave the baby alone
Open the baby's mouth, if you see something stuck in the throat, try to bring it out carefully
Try to save the baby's life according to the rules that need to be resuscitated when the baby's breathing and heart stop. Read the chapter 'How to save life when the baby's breathing and heart stops' to know more about this.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you do not see the object stuck in the throat, do not blindly poke with your fingers, as it can get stuck in the object and increase the danger.