What to Do When A Child Swallows an Object
Children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years are the most likely to swallow foreign objects.
Toxic Substance
If a child has swallowed a potentially toxic substance, like houshold cleaners, chemicals dont wait for symptoms take him/her to the doctor. In this case signs might include loss of conciousness, vomiting, foaming at the mouth.
Choking
Chilren can choke on food they didn’t chew properly, it may also be from other objects. If this happens while you are calling for help with your phone on loud speaker, you can give a few first aid assistance. Dont put your hand in their mouth this could push the object far in.
If the child is coughing, monitor the situation, but don’t interfere. People who are choking do not cough. But If the child is not coughing,
five-and-five” approach to delivering first aid:
- Give 5 back blows. Stand to the side and just behind a choking kneel down behind. Place one arm across the childs chest for support. Bend the child over at the waist so that the upper body is parallel with the ground. Deliver five separate back blows between the child’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
- Give 5 abdominal thrusts. Perform five abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver).
- Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts until the blockage is dislodged. Becareful not to apply too much force to the ribs
- Perform baby infant CPR if one of these techniques opens the airway but the infant doesn’t resume breathing. See how to do this below
Check baby’s mouth for airway blockages like the tongue, food, vomit or blood. If there’s a blockage, use your little finger to clear it. Place baby on their back with their head in a neutral position (head straight, chin not bent down or up) to open their airway.
If there are no blockages or you’ve cleared blockages, check for breathing. Look for chest movements, listen for breathing sounds, or feel for breath on your cheek.
Put two fingers in the centre of baby’s chest. Do 30 compressions at a rate of 2 compressions per second. Each compression should push the chest down by about one third.
Hold baby’s head so that their chin doesn’t drop down. Take a breath and seal baby’s mouth and nose with your mouth. Blow gently and watch for the chest to rise. Take another breath with your head turned towards baby’s chest. Watch, listen or feel for air leaving the chest. Repeat
Keep giving 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths until medical help arrives. If baby starts breathing normally and responding, put baby into the recovery position. Keep watching baby’s breathing. Be ready to start CPR again at any time.
Bigger Objects
If your child has swallowed something and you are concerned it may get struck, or if it has sharp edges that could rip or tear the tissues, you need to have x-rays done to find out where it is, and determine if intervention is necessary. So get in contact with a doctor.
Small Objects
Often when a child swallows small objects like crayon it will pass down through the child’s systerm without bad outcomes, however some small objects should not be taking lightly. Like batteries, magnets, sharp or blunt objects like pins, shards of glass etc, these might leave damages if not attended to instantly.
Don’t forget to take anything like bottles etc that can help the doctor to know what the child has taken, this will help them know the fastest remedy to apply. May God protects all children.
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