Factors that are likely to cause choking milk in infants

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Uncle has 15 years of experience in diagnosis & treatment of pediatric diseases; She used to work at the Pediatric Department - Da Nang Hospital and Da Nang Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology. His strength is in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric pathologies, resuscitation, pediatric emergency.

Choking milk on the nose is an extremely dangerous accident for babies. Children choking milk up their nose is quite common and can be fatal if not treated quickly and promptly. So what factors easily cause choking on the nose in babies?

1. Easy causes of milk choking in babies

Newborn choking can be caused by the following factors:
Bottle feeding but the nipple is far away, the baby's mouth is not closed, the pitcher is not high enough. As a result, the baby swallows a lot of air when suckling, leading to abdominal distension and vomiting after feeding. The perforated hole in the nipple is too big, the milk flows quickly and strongly, making it difficult for the baby to swallow. Forcing the baby to suck too much, leading to spitting up milk. Sometimes, parents squeeze the nose to let the child open his mouth to pour milk and powder in, causing the baby to choke the milk up his nose. Children have a habit of eating and sleeping at the same time: Many mothers have the habit of feeding their babies with bottles, while the children eat and sleep at the same time. However, during feeding, it is likely that the baby will fall asleep, the mouth will still flow but not swallow. When breathing heavily, the baby accidentally inhales milk up the nose into the trachea and bronchi, leading to choking of milk up the nose, making it difficult to breathe. Lay the baby down immediately after feeding: Newborns who are nursing or after feeding often fall asleep immediately. Many mothers see this often put the baby to sleep fixed in the head-up position. This is very dangerous because the baby has just eaten, so the possibility of choking milk up the nose is very high, adding that the inability to turn the baby's head makes it impossible for the baby to get rid of the suffocation and breathing difficulties. Do not monitor the baby regularly after feeding (many children died from choking without parents knowing). Children 3 - 4 months old have begun to talk, so the person who breastfeeds and talks at the same time, the child is busy waiting to talk, holds milk in his mouth and refuses to swallow. choke milk up your nose. When children choke, milk enters the respiratory tract, causing suffocation, leading to death or leaving sequels such as brain damage (hemorrhage, brain death...), cardiac arrest, pneumonia (due to inhalation when inhaled). food, intestinal bacteria are taken to the lungs)...

2. Handling choking milk on the nose

How to handle when the child is choked on the nose correctly, the mother needs to be followed by the following steps. Note that if after each step, the baby has stabilized and normal breathing, there is no need to do the next steps.
Step 1: Let the baby sit up
When the baby shows signs of choking on milk, the mother needs to perform basic first aid immediately.
When choking on milk, you should make your baby sit up straight, let him cough and spit out the milk. If the child is still coughing, it means that the airway is only slightly blocked.
Wipe the milk from the mouth, nose and other parts.
Step 2: Pump milk
If the baby has difficulty breathing, the skin becomes more purple, you need to pump milk from the nose and mouth immediately. This is the first first aid step while waiting for an ambulance.
Use your mouth to suck milk immediately, faster and stronger. Then stimulate the baby to exhale by pinching.
Step 3: Incline up and gently pat
After taking the 3rd step, if the child still has difficulty breathing, pale skin, please turn the baby upside down.
Place your baby face down on your arm, with the other hand patting the back, 5 times at a time. Turn the baby over to assess whether the baby has swallowed all the milk and is breathing normally again.
Step 4: Chest compression
If by step 3 the baby still has no signs of breathing, you need to perform other first aid.
By placing your baby on his back, one hand holding his head, one hand gently pressing on his chest to let him breathe.
Step 5: Take to the emergency room
If the child is still unable to breathe, repeat steps 2, 3, 4 in the process of taking the baby to the emergency room.

3. Preventing choking milk in babies

Newborns choking milk up their nose is a common phenomenon, but if the mother knows how to take care and breastfeed, the baby will not suffer from this.
Absolutely do not let the baby sleep while nursing. Moreover, when breastfeeding, you should not laugh with the baby, this will make the baby laugh easily leading to choking on milk. When breastfeeding, you should sit in a quiet place, do not play while the baby is nursing to avoid distraction. Feed in the head-up position (holding, or placing the baby in a semi-recumbent chair). Avoid letting the child lie with his or her head upright. If the baby has a stuffy nose, the sputum must be removed from the nose and mouth before feeding. When bottle-feeding with a rubber nipple, tilt the bottle so that the milk fills the neck to avoid swallowing air. For bottle-fed babies, choose a bottle with a normal nipple hole, not too big, this helps the milk to flow down gently so the baby will not choke on the milk. When bottle-feeding, remember to tilt the bottle 45 degrees so that the milk flows down to fill the hole in the nipple, the baby will not have to suck as much, making the air easier to choke on the milk or vomit after feeding. For children with upper respiratory tract infection, must breastfeed slowly (do not punch too large holes in the nipple), if the baby cannot swallow milk in time, it must be stopped immediately. After feeding, hold the baby upright for at least 15 minutes and pat his back to burp. Do not let the child lie on his or her stomach or face the wall. Regularly monitor your child's sleep. Do not let the child lie in an environment that is too hot or too cold to avoid breathing disturbances. If your baby has severe heart disease or pneumonia, ask your doctor about proper breastfeeding. If you are still confused about how to take care of your baby in case of premature birth, heart disease, severe pneumonia, you should see a pediatrician for detailed advice.
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