Dubai: Children are at increased risk for choking because of the size of their windpipe, approximately the size of a drinking straw in diameter. Choking can result while consuming food, playing with toys or household items. Parents can take simple steps to significantly reduce the chance of choking and therefore reduce the chance of child injury or even death.
Preventive measures when eating:
1. Do not leave a small child unattended while eating or playing.
2. Serve children food in small, manageable bites. Serve well cooked food rather than raw food.
3. Teach children to sit up straight at the dining table for all meals as well as not to talk, laugh, play and jump when there is food in their mouth. Children should have a calm, unhurried meal.
4. Offer plenty of liquids to children when eating.
Preventive measures while playing with toys and household items:
1. Supervise child’s play and keep small objects, chemicals, plastic out of reach of the child. As well as checking the floor for small objects and toy parts.
2. Choose safe, age appropriate toys. Follow the manufacturer’s age recommendation.
3. Safely dispose of all batteries.
4. Warn older children not to leave loose game parts or toys with small pieces in reach of younger siblings.
Immediate steps to be taken if choking symptoms occur:
1. If a child is coughing loudly, there is no need to do anything. Encourage them to carry on coughing and don’t leave them.
2. If the child’s coughing is ineffective, shout for help immediately.
3. If the child is conscious, give them abdominal thrusts. This will create an artificial cough, increasing pressure in the chest and helping to dislodge the object.
4. If child becomes unconscious, put the child on a firm surface and call the emergency services.
- The writer is specialist paediatrician at Zulekha Hospital, Dubai
