Incorrect feeding position, overfeeding, or sucking while crying or coughing can lead to choking. Photo: iStock. |
On March 9, the National Children’s Hospital (Hanoi) said that recently, the Emergency and Poison Control department of this unit received 2 month old baby in cyanosis, apnea, and cardiac arrest before arriving at the hospital. Despite the doctors’ best efforts, the baby did not survive.
According to the family, the girl is the third child, born prematurely at 32 weeks with birth weight of 1.1 kg. After birth, the children were screened at the hospital and did not detect any abnormal signs, gaining weight appropriate for their age.
Before the day of admission, the child had no abnormal signs. On the morning of February 21, the child was given bottle milk by his mother twice but sucked less, spitting up milk, fussing and having a distended stomach. A few hours later, finding that the child was cyanotic, stimulated without reflexes, the family immediately took the child to the hospital.
Specialist Doctor II Pham Thi Thanh Tam, Deputy Head of the Emergency and Poison Control Department, said that the child was admitted to the hospital in a state of apnea, cardiac arrest and was immediately given emergency treatment for cardiac arrest.
Chest X-ray results revealed diffuse right lung parenchymal lesions. Meanwhile, the results of an abdominal X-ray showed that the child had gas and the intestinal loops contained fluid. This is the outcome after cardiac arrest, but it is also possible that the pre-existing inflammatory bowel disease makes it easier for the child to choke and regurgitate than a normal healthy child.
Doctor Thanh Tam shared: “Choking milk is one of the common accidents in children, especially for children under 2 years old. This phenomenon of milk overflowing into the airways makes it difficult for the baby to breathe, pale and can cause apnea. Without timely first aid, the child’s life could be in danger.”
Causes of choking milk in children
There are many causes of choking when a baby suckles including feeding in the wrong position, feeding too full, sucking while crying or coughing. In addition, a lot of breast milk makes the baby unable to swallow or the milk flows a lot because the pacifier has too wide a hole.
Choking on milk can also occur in premature babies due to poor sucking-swallowing reflex or babies with birth defects in the oropharynx such as cleft lip, cleft palate, etc.
Signs to identify a baby choking on milk
Parents should note that while breastfeeding (or after feeding), the child suddenly coughs, turns pale, faints and can see milk flowing through the nose and mouth.
For premature babies, especially those who are malnourished, have malformations of the maxillofacial region, or have muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), the cough reflex will be worse. The signs of choking in these infants were quiet, mainly manifested by cyanosis. The first stage will be purple around the lips, the corner of the nose, can breathe fast, or breathe slowly and stop breathing.
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Parents should not breastfeed their babies while they are sleeping to prevent choking. Photo: Theconversation. |
How to prevent baby choking
For prevention baby choking milkParents should note the following:
– When breastfeeding, the mother needs to hold the baby high, in a comfortable position.
– Children should be fed under light to easily observe the child swallowing after sucking milk and purple phenomena (if any).
– If the breast milk is secreted a lot and the baby can’t suckle in time, the mother can slow down the milk flow by pinching the nipple with two fingers.
– In young children, especially infants, mothers should not rush to breastfeed.
– For bottle-fed babies, parents should choose bottles with nipples suitable for their age, not too big, so that the milk doesn’t get too much into the baby’s mouth and doesn’t choke. When breastfeeding, parents need to tilt the bottle 45 degrees so that the milk flows down to fill the nipple hole.
– After feeding, parents should hold the baby lying face down on the shoulder or chest for 15-20 minutes, pat the baby’s back to burp less gas in the stomach, avoid bloating, which will stimulate choking.
– Should be divided into many small meals, especially for low birth weight children.
– Children with malformations in the maxillofacial region should go to the doctor early for timely treatment and support tools to minimize the risk of choking.
– It is necessary to bring the child to the nearest medical facility when the infant refuses to breastfeed.
At the same time, parents should not give milk to babies while they are sleeping, crying/smiling or coughing; neck flexion makes feeding more difficult or tilting the neck can cause the baby to choke on milk; Do not swaddle, wear tight clothes, avoid increasing abdominal pressure and do not force children to eat too much.