When giving babies or young children new foods to try, it is important to be careful of their shape and size.
Nikki Jurkutz, a first aid expert, revealed the food that causes the most choking accidents in children, which is the “hot dog” sausage, stressing that it causes more choking deaths than any other food.
She also explained that food should never be cut into shapes resembling coins because these small pieces can also settle in the child’s airway, and instead should be cut lengthwise.
What do you do if your child chokes on food?
The NHS says that if you can see an object in your child’s mouth, be sure to remove it as squeezing it can make things worse.
If the child is coughing, encourage him to continue as this may help him remove the stuck object.
And in the event that the cough is ineffective (silent or the child cannot breathe properly), seek help immediately, according to the British newspaper “The Sun”.
Paramedics offer the following tips for choking, depending on the child’s age:
for babies
• Place the infant face down along your thigh, and hit the back five times between the shoulder blades.
• Turn the baby over, face up, and place two fingers in the center of the chest, making five upward pushes.
• If the stuck item is not removed, call an ambulance.
for kids
• Encourage the child to continue coughing.
• Do five sharp blows on the back between the shoulder blades
• Stand behind the child with your arms around his waist, pressing in between the abdomen and the chest.
• Repeat the steps until help arrives.
• Begin CPR if the child loses consciousness.
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