Most often, if a child swallows a small object, it will come out naturally. However, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance if the child has swallowed dangerous objects such as batteries, something sharp or traumatic, or if any object is stuck in the respiratory tract. Symptoms indicating the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract are:
- frequent swallowing
- gagging,
- increased salivation,
- whistling breathing;
- feeling of a lump in the throat.
Children can inhale tiny objects, such as grains of rice or small parts of toys, into their lungs, which in turn leads to coughing, choking, and abnormal breathing sounds. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Particularly dangerous are peanuts, small toy balls, and other small objects that can block the airway. If the child can hardly breathe or his breathing is accompanied by whistling, he should not be given water under any circumstances. Instead, check to see if the foreign object can be removed. If not, then the child should bend forward and cough while trying to spit out the object. If a child can cry and inhale during the next coughing attack, this means that his lungs are getting enough air. It is necessary to cough until the foreign object comes out.
If the child can no longer cough, his voice has disappeared, he has become pale or blue – in this case, immediately call an ambulance. While the child remains conscious, it is necessary to knock between the shoulder blades five times. In this situation, the baby must be held with his tummy on his forearm, his head must be held in the cheek area, he must not be held by the neck, and also patted five times on the back between the shoulder blades. If the foreign object has not yet come out, it is necessary to apply a special “subdiaphragmatic push” (Heimlich maneuver). To do this, you need to stand behind the child, bend him over and place your fist between the navel and the lower part of the sternum. Then, using your other hand, grab your fist and press five times into the area below your sternum.
The “subdiaphragmatic push” should not be used to assist infants. Instead, the baby should be placed on your forearm with its belly facing up and its head supported with its hand. Press the sternum area with your index and middle fingers (not too hard) five times. If the foreign object does not come out after this, you must alternately use pats on the back and pressing on the sternum (for older people – a subdiaphragmatic push) until the ambulance arrives.
Choking can also begin after an insect bite in the area of the face or in the oral mucosa. In this case, call an ambulance immediately, as the danger of suffocation is extremely high. The affected areas must be cooled with ice cubes or cold wraps.