Choking milk in babies is very dangerous - A guide to recognition and first aid

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Bui Thi Ha - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

Choking milk is a phenomenon in which milk overflows into the airways, making it difficult for a child to breathe, choking, cyanosis, possibly stopping breathing. If not treated quickly, promptly choking milk in infants can lead to death.

1. Signs of choking milk in babies

Milk choking in infants is a phenomenon in which milk flows back into the airways, causing difficulty breathing, choking, cyanosis that can cause respiratory arrest in infants. The cause of choking is usually due to parents or caregivers letting the baby suck in the wrong position, feeding when the baby is crying, coughing, too much breast milk, or the pacifier has too wide a hole to cause milk to flow. a lot, flowing strongly, making children unable to swallow.
Signs to identify milk color in infants:
Babies who are nursing or lying down (after eating) suddenly cough strongly, choke, turn purple or pass out. The baby suddenly cries out. Milk can be seen coming out of the nose and mouth. Children panic, pale skin, may be soft or stiff. In severe cases, the child may stop breathing. Proper first aid treatment of a choking infant is important to help the child quickly get out of a dangerous situation.

2. Is choking milk dangerous?

Pediatric experts confirmed, choking milk in infants is a very common accident in pediatrics, if the child is not given first aid quickly and in time, it can be life-threatening.
Choking milk in infants can be caused by many reasons such as: caregivers let the baby suckle, eat in the wrong position, feed too full, feed the baby while crying, too much breast milk makes the child unable to swallow, Especially premature babies are often very easy to choke on milk.
It is also common in children with oropharyngeal malformations such as cleft lip, cleft palate...

3. First aid choking infant milk

When a child encounters symptoms of choking on milk such as coughing, choking, cyanosis... immediately parents or caregivers need to properly handle choking milk for infants according to the following steps:
Give the child lying prone on the palm and right arm, use the palm of the hand to pat the baby hard and fast five times to increase the pressure in the chest to push the milk out of the airways. If the child still has difficulty breathing, pale, then put the child on his back on a hard surface, use two index and middle fingers to suddenly give 5 strong pressures on the lower half of the sternum, 1-2 cm below the seam connecting the breasts. Repeat 5 to 6 times until the child shows signs of recovery, the skin is ruddy again. Open the airways by sucking strongly into the nose and mouth of the child, sucking thoroughly the milk that remains in the throat and nose as quickly as possible. Suction mouth first, nose behind. If left to slow, choking milk in infants will cause airway obstruction by overflowing milk into the bronchi. For children showing signs of apnea: After a combination of the above measures and when the sugar has been cleared, but the child still stops breathing, it must be combined with rescue breaths, specifically close the nose and mouth of the child and blow in and see the cage. slightly raised chest. Give rescue breaths when the child has a breathing rhythm, then take the child immediately to the nearest hospital for timely emergency medical attention.

4. Preventing choking milk in babies

When breastfeeding, you need to do the following:
When breastfeeding, you should hold the baby with his head high, in a comfortable position, to feed the baby slowly, without haste, especially the weak, premature babies. Observe the baby while suckling, it is best to see the baby swallow all the milk in his mouth after sucking.
When the baby coughs or cries, stop feeding immediately. If the milk is still in the mouth, stop feeding, let the baby swallow all the milk in the mouth, do not let the milk continue to flow down the mouth. Do not force children to eat. If the mother finds that the breast milk flows down too much but the baby has not had time to swallow, the mother can use two fingers to pinch the nipple to prevent the milk from falling. After feeding, hold the baby face down on the mother's shoulder or chest, gently pat the baby's back to burp from the stomach, avoiding bloating, which will stimulate milk choking.
When the baby coughs or cries, stop feeding immediately, do not let milk continue to flow down the mouth. If the mother finds that the breast milk flows down too much but the baby has not had time to swallow, the mother can use two fingers to pinch the nipple to prevent the milk from falling.
For bottle-fed babies, care should be taken that the tip of the teat is not too wide, it is best to punch 1 or 2 holes with the tip of a needle on the nipple side. When breastfeeding, the mother should tilt the bottle about 45 degrees so that the milk fills the vent, because the baby will not suck in a lot of air, leading to vomiting after a meal. When using a spoon to feed milk into the child's mouth, the mother should pour it slowly, the child swallows it all before continuing to apply another spoon.
Especially, after the baby is full, don't put the baby right down on the bed or crib, but pick the baby up, pay attention to hold the baby upright after eating for about 20-30 minutes, avoiding sudden position changes. Put your baby to sleep in an elevated position. Do not wear tight diapers to avoid increasing intra-abdominal pressure, choking on milk, reflux after feeding.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. Specialist I Bui Thi Ha has over 11 years of experience in the field of Pediatrics - Neonatology; proficiently perform basic pediatric techniques and advanced, intensive and modern techniques such as mechanical ventilation, longline, blood exchange, invasive arterial blood pressure measurement, etc. Currently, the doctor is a Doctor. Pediatrics - Newborns, Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital

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