One way to protect your child from negative peer influences is by teaching him or her to have confidence in his or her own judgment and to weigh the outcomes of his or her actions carefully.
Do you know what to do if your infant begins to choke? No parent wants to consider the possibility of their child having an obstructed airway, yet every second counts in these situations. At times like this, it’s important that we know the basic medical emergency care so we can do what is needed until help arrives.
Choking Hazards
Your infant is developing the skills necessary to successfully chew and swallow solid meals. This means your infant could potentially choke. Your child’s eating skills will improve rapidly during the next year, and by 12 months they may even be able to feed themselves.
While your child may be able to consume most foods today, there are still some that pose a choking risk. This risk may rise depending on how the food is prepared. Choking hazards include, but are not limited to, foods that are presented raw, whole, or in an unusually large size. Choking can be avoided by mashing food or cutting it into smaller pieces.
What you can do to prevent your toddler from choking
Food and preparation
- Make sure the foods your child eats are the proper size, texture, and shape for their growing bodies.
- Try to stay away from items that are too tiny, too sticky, or too hard to swallow.
Meals and snacks
- Encourage your child to sit up straight and eat (no lying down, crawling, or walking).
- Put your kid in a high chair or somewhere more secure.
- Don’t let your kid eat in the stroller or vehicle.
- The dinner table should be a peaceful place. When eating, try to avoid interruptions and rushing.
What you need to take in mind
- Watch what your kid is putting in his or her mouth very carefully.
- Keep a close eye on your kid when they’re eating.
According to Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (2022), here are some of the potential choking hazards that we should avoid:
The different forms of mass media have far-reaching and usually detrimental effects on our society. They penetrate your child’s mind and place misguided and explicit ideas about sex and other lifestyles. The covers of magazines almost always showcase toned bodies. Also, the media such as television and movies tend to glorify unrealistic ideals of romance, family obligations, and marriage.
Adolescents going through a difficult stage of development are particularly vulnerable to the media’s negative influence. Because media portrayals of sexual activity and relationships are often idealized, some people may develop a casual attitude toward these topics. But, the truth hurts, and if young people believe everything they read or see in the media, they may feel highly disappointed and disheartened.
Step by step procedures to take if your infant is choking
If your child ever choked on something, you should know how to perform basic life saving measures. Choking can take only a few minutes and lead to death. By taking the correct action before the arrival of medical help can make all the difference and keep your child’s life.
Step 1: Check if your infant is choking
Perhaps your infant is gagging or coughing. Although this may appear and sound alarming, the person is probably not choking if they are making noise and can still breathe.
Babies who are choking are unable to cry or cough for help. Because their airway is blocked, they won’t be able to make a sound or breathe, either.
Step 2: Call 911
It would be best if someone else could phone 911 or the emergency services in your area while you took care of the baby.
Walk the operator through the process you’re currently experiencing. Please alert the operator if your child loses consciousness at any time during the procedure.
Step 3: Lay your baby on your forearm, face down
Support your baby’s balance on your thigh. Perform five hits to the space in between their shoulder blades using the heel of your free hand. These strikes need to be both swift and powerful to be effective.
This action will ideally drive the object out of your baby’s airway by creating vibrations and pressure.
Step 4: Roll the infant onto their back
Keep your baby’s head below their chest as they lie on your thigh. Locate the breastbone between your baby’s ribs with your index and middle fingers (between and slightly below the nipples). The chest should be pressed down by roughly a third when you press down and repeat five times.
By doing so, air is forced into the airway from the lungs, which may help to dislodge the foreign item.
Step 5: Do It Again
If that doesn’t work, switch back to the back blows and continue as before. Then you should do the chest thrusts again. If your infant suddenly becomes unresponsive, call 911 immediately.
Conclusion:
If you have any doubts about your skills to rescue your baby in an emergency, you should consider enrolling in an infant first aid training that teaches both choking and CPR techniques.The hospital in your area may be a good place to start looking for classes.
Otherwise, make sure that your baby’s play spaces are free of anything that could cause a choking hazard, and always keep a close eye on anything your child puts in his or her mouth.