2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
Until the age of 4 or even 5 years, the child cannot chew properly. Therefore, the risk of choking is greater. This is why a certain number of precautions must be taken.
Supervise your child during meals
A young child is not left unsupervised during meals. The risk of choking is great, and the child in distress will not be able to call you. It is therefore best to supervise all your child's meals.
Similarly, babies should not be allowed to drink their bottle alone, especially while lying down, because they will not be able to control the flow.
Do not introduce solid foods too early
You should not introduce solid foods to babies around the age of 6 months, not before. Child should be able to hold head up and keep food in mouth.
Introduce solid foods gradually
Introduce solid foods gradually into the child's diet, as the child's ability to chew well improves. The following foods carry greater riskschoking:
- hard (popcorn, potato chips, raw veggies, chunks of tender meat);
- small (nuts, seeds, peanuts, raisins, fish bones and small bones);
- round (whole or halved fresh grapes, sliced sausages);
- stickers (candy)
Process some foods
If you still want to offer some of these foods to your child, it would be best to modify them. For example:
- cut the fresh grapes in 4;
- slice the sausages lengthwise;
- serve the meat tender and in small pieces;
- blanch vegetables, even if you serve them as a dip. You can serve grated raw carrots;
- remove fruit pits and apple cores;
- remove bones from fish and meat.
Finally, avoid putting ice cubes in drinks.
Teach your child to eat calmly
We teach our child as soon as possible not to speak with his mouth full and to chew his food well. He is also taught not to put too much food in his mouth.
In addition, the child is taught to eat sitting down, at the table: not moving, never running. And we avoid car snacks as much as possible.
Don't let him play with very small objects
Lego bricks, somepuzzles, figurines, Kinder toys: all toys that are intended for children aged 3 and over should not end up in the hands of the youngest, since they are certainly likely to end up in their mouths.
If baby is choking
Of course, no one is immune to accidents. If your baby is choking, you will not have time to go online to see the procedure. It is therefore important to know how to react, as quickly as possible.
As long as the child is breathing and coughing, encourage him to try to expel the object on his own: no pats on the back. We stay with him, and watch him.
Here is the protocol proposed by the Canadian Red Cross, which also offers first aid courses:
Airway clearance in the conscious baby (video)
If the baby is conscious, not breathing, unable to cough, or making a high-pitched sound, here's what to do:
- Lay the baby face down, head down, body on your hand and forearm. Firmly support his head by holding his jaw. Rest your forearm on your thigh;
- Using the palm of your hand, give 5 firm pats between his shoulder blades;
- If the object has not been expelled, place the baby with his back on your lap, head down. Support his head with your hand;
- Draw an imaginary line between her nipples and place 2 fingers just below that line;
- Exercise 5 pressures sufficient for the chest to sink1/3 to ½ its depth;
- Alternate back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or until the baby starts crying breathing or coughing or until the baby loses consciousness.
If the object is dislodged or the baby cries, breathes, or coughs, comfort, calm, and keep warm. And above all, consult a doctor.
If the baby loses consciousness, call 9-1-1. They will guide you through the next steps.
Seek emergency medical assistance (9-1-1) if your child
- has a distressed expression;
- has an open mouth;
- is unable to breathe or cough;
- emits a high-pitched sound;
- holds his throat in his hands;
- loses consciousness.
