Not everyone is aware, but unfortunately many children suffer at some point in their childhood from choking? that can even lead to death. Therefore, all attention to what the little ones eat and also to the objects they play with is essential!
Pediatric doctor Tatiana Miranda, Leforte Hospital's Children's First Aid Coordinator, comments that choking on foreign bodies (food, milk, objects) usually occurs in children under the age of three and is one of the most common causes of death below one year old.
"In Brazil, we have no recent data, but estimates lead to 100 cases / month in major cities," adds the doctor.
Although choking may occur for many types of food, some are better known for this and deserve special attention. Below you know what are the main foods that should be avoided in the child's diet and / or that should be given very carefully.
13 foods that deserve attention in the child's diet
Avoid giving your child or be aware of the following foods:
Read also: 10 tips for dealing with emergencies with children
1. Raw fruits and vegetables
Danielle Lopes, a pediatrician with the Perinatal Group, explains that if offered raw, fruits and vegetables should be cut into very small or lengthwise pieces (sticks).
2. Bullets and Chewing Gum
These are dangerous items and, according to Danielle, simply should not be offered to children.
3. Dried Fruits
"They should be cut into small pieces so that the child can eat without risk," says Danielle.
4. Oilseeds
"Should be crushed or broken into smaller pieces," says the pediatrician.
5. Grapes
"The grape, to be offered to the child, must be cut in half and given without seed," explains Danielle.
Read also: My child does not eat: what to do?
6. Popcorn
Tatiana explains that attention needs to be paid to popcorn because of the "seeds".
According to the pediatrician, popcorn should be offered supervised and avoided until the child's four years.
7. Meat
Tatiana points out that meat should not be offered in pieces, only mashed or shredded.
Danielle emphasizes that it is important to still offer soft meat to the child.
8. Olive
Tatiana reminds that foods with pits (as in the case of olive) should not be within reach of children up to 4 years.
Danielle adds that the olive should not be offered to the child because it contains too much salt and preservative.
9. Sausage
"Sausage, like raw vegetables, should be offered whole for the child to slowly bite or cut lengthwise," explains Danielle.
10. Milk
? Milk itself should not cause choking because it is a liquid, but it turns out to be a major choke cause being offered in abundance and with the child lying down. Should one try to offer the milk in a more upright position?
11. Fish
Care must be taken as fish bones are very dangerous. Offer fish fillet always. Make sure you have no pimples or cartilage. When you order the fishmonger, let them know that it is for your baby ?, says Danielle.
12. Chicken
The chicken deserves extra attention. "The biggest danger is always chicken bone, especially those little ones," says Danielle.
13. Peanuts
Peanuts, according to Tatiana, can only be offered in very small and unshelled pieces.
Objects that may cause choking
In addition to food, most objects require attention as they can pose a great risk to young children.
• In adults, most cases of pharyngeal, esophageal or stomach impaction are related to food; while in children the most common causes are not related to food, but true foreign bodies ?, says Laercio Tenório Ribeiro, endoscopist of the Brazilian Society of Digestive Endoscopy (Sobed).
Ribeiro explains that children, being in a learning phase, are always experimenting with objects with which they have contact. "This experimentation, which includes introducing objects into any of its holes, is often done by assessing the taste of the object and also inferring it," he says.
Below he talks about the objects that pose the most risks to children:
Coins. The objects most often ingested by children are coins of all values. However, anything that is within reach of the child, and that can be swallowed, will always be a risk for the child? Explains the endoscopist.
Toys. Particular attention is paid to toys, according to Ribeiro.• If they have batteries, batteries, magnets, very small parts, they should be avoided. Ideally, only those with the INMETRO seal be purchased, built according to rules that protect the health of children (Ordinance No. 310, July 1, 2014) ?, he says.
Costume jewelery or jewelry. "Remember that objects usually worn by the mother can be accidentally swallowed by children, such as earrings, pearls, etc.", highlights the endoscopist.
What to do if the child chokes?
Ribeiro explains that there are two types of "choking". True choking happens when an object or food fragment enters the larynx, trachea or bronchi, causing suffocation. This is an emergency situation with a high risk of child death. In this case, it is necessary to try some maneuver that can facilitate the expulsion of the foreign body, saving the child. Is there a set of maneuvers, called Heimlich Maneuvers, that can help in these circumstances ?, he says.
Another form of choking, according to Ribeiro, is the impaction of food in the pharynx or esophagus. In such cases no special maneuvers will be required, nor should more food be given (dry bread, banana etc.) as usual in an attempt to push the foreign body into the stomach. Doing so is unlikely to be useful and will delay an endoscopic evaluation as it will be necessary to wait at least six hours for fasting due to sedation. Or, it can put pressure on a sharp object, which will progress producing lesions in the esophagus. The indication is to take to an emergency service ?, he says.
Danielle explains that in the case of Heimlich's maneuver, the orientation is to stand behind the person, wrap his arms around him, clasp his hands, close them and let his thumb in, position them below the ribs, between the sternum and navel, in front of the trunk, and quickly press up and in, repeating up to eight times; Is this the Heimlich maneuver?
• When there is an object in the nose, ask the person to breathe through the mouth. If the object is visible, press the nose at the top, close to the eyes, pushing the object down. If it does not resolve, or if the object is in the background, seek medical help to prevent the object from getting further ?, says Danielle.
• When someone chokes, they have the reflex reaction of coughing. The cough is nothing more than a large air flow that seeks to expel the foreign body from the airways. If the person is unable to cough or cough is not sufficient to expel the food or object, some maneuver may be necessary to assist. Can you slap your upper back with the person leaning forward? Danielle adds.
Still according to the pediatrician, turning the child upside down can solve in some situations. But it is a risky maneuver. If the position causes vomiting, it can also be aspirated, making choking worse ?, he says.
When no maneuver works, and the person has clear signs of asphyxiation, such as purplish skin and decreased chest movement, mouth-to-mouth breathing may be necessary. It can force the object to move and allow air to pass through. Anyway, should medical help be called? Danielle advises.
According to Tatiana, at the age of three, the orientation is:
- Place the child face down on his / her leg, with the head lower than the trunk and five effective slaps in the middle of the back.
- Try to visualize the food in the mouth and gently remove it. If you can't see anything, do five more compressions in the middle of the chest just below the nipple line. Always keep your head lower than your chest.
In the video below you also give some guidelines on how to act:
In any case, the guidance is to call or take the child to an emergency service as soon as possible.
Tips for safely feeding children
Below are the main guidelines for children to eat safely:
- According to Tatiana, children should not be offered food up to 4 years without first kneading or shredding;
- "Feed the baby only if he is semi-seated or sitting and never during sleep," says the pediatrician.
- "Do not offer liquids or other foods to the choking child in an attempt to contain the accident," adds Tatiana.
- Never let a child eat without supervision.
- According to the Guidance Manual of the Department of Nutrology of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, the child should be comfortably seated at the table with other family members. It is important that from the first year of life, when introducing complementary foods, the child watches other people eating. • The atmosphere at meal time should be calm without the television on or any other distractions such as play and games.It is important that attention is focused on eating so that the body can trigger its satiety mechanisms. The peaceful environment will facilitate the child's confidence and pleasure in eating. The child should be encouraged to eat alone, but always supervised, to avoid choking?
- Children should not eat while walking or riding a car.
- Also according to the Manual of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, foods that can cause choking should be avoided, such as hard candies, grapes, large pieces of raw carrots, popcorn, among others.
Finally, it is worth remembering that all attention is needed, not only with food, but also with objects that may commonly be around the child. She is absolutely susceptible to ingestion of foreign bodies. If something is at hand, just a few seconds of inattention from parents will be needed for such an accident. The important thing, therefore, is to do prophylaxis (preventive measures), keeping the environment free of "dangerous" objects, concludes Laercio Ribeiro.
- Babies
- 1,230
