Be wary of children choking on sputum when coughing and feverish

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.
Children choking on phlegm if not alert and prevented can have serious consequences. The child has a fever and is accompanied by a cough with phlegm, which may be a sign that the child has an infection of the respiratory tract and nose and throat. At this time, a lot of phlegm in the throat makes the child uncomfortable and cough violently. In young children, who have not yet been able to bring out sputum on their own (by spitting or spitting), it is very easy to choke on sputum, especially when the child is coughing.

1. How to give first aid to a child choking on phlegm

Put the child on the stomach and face down on the forearm, the child's head tilted downward, pat the child's back about 5-7 times to expel phlegm or foreign object stuck in the child's throat. In case the above method does not work, turn the child's face to the other arm, look inside the child's mouth, if you see sputum or foreign body, cover the fingertip with clean gauze and gently pull out the sputum in the child's throat. However, be careful not to hook too deep into the child's throat, because it can cause injury. If the sputum in the child's throat still does not come out, put the child in the upper position and use two fingers (index and middle fingers) to place on the lower half of the child's sternum, pressing firmly for about 3 seconds / time. Doing so will cause an artificial cough to expel sputum and foreign objects when the child coughs. In case all of the above methods still do not bring the foreign body out, put the child on his back and place two fingers on the lower part of the sternum, pressing 5 times continuously. After that, parents need to take the child to the nearest medical facility to be examined and examined by a doctor.

2. Preventing choking phlegm for young children

Children with fever and cough with phlegm should be taken care of to prevent choking caused by phlegm and drool.
Let the child drink enough water, enough milk to loosen phlegm and fluid in the throat. Support children to suck phlegm in the nose and throat. To prevent choking on sputum in children, put the child on his side and hold the hand loosely to pat the child's back, pat from top to bottom and from outside to inside, patting about 2-3 times a day, each time for a few minutes to loosen phlegm. For older children, you can let them inhale hot steam to make the sputum easy to loosen. Children should be taken to a doctor to be examined and diagnosed, and prescribed appropriate medication. Avoid arbitrarily buying cough medicine for children to drink because it can cause sputum not to be released, increasing the risk of sputum choking in children.

Children with fever and cough, especially young children, will make them uncomfortable, or fussy, increasing the risk of choking sputum. Therefore, parents need to be alert and know how to handle it appropriately.
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