Every parent dreads that their baby might eat or swallow something that gets stuck in their throat and causes further problems. This is completely natural, but instead of feeding irrational fears, it is much better to face the cause of our fear and do what we can.

What is the difference between gagging and choking?

Gagging is an innate reflex, during which the food moves from the back third of the mouth to the front third as a result of a series of events similar to coughing. The reason for gagging is that when food gets dangerously close to the epiglottis, the brain prompts the baby to perform an action similar to coughing. This way, the morsel is moved back to a safe place within the oral cavity. Although gagging may look frightening, it is actually a very useful reflex action.

It is important that if you see your baby gagging, you should restrain any signs of worry, even if you are scared. Without this restraint, the baby can easily associate fear with eating, which can also lead to food rejection. Learn to distinguish between gagging and choking! After that, you only need to think about how perfectly your baby's body is functioning.

Choking, on the other hand, occurs when the epiglottis does not close completely during swallowing, causing the food to land partially or completely in the upper part of the trachea instead of the esophagus. In this case, coughing and choking are completely instinctive actions and serve to remove the stuck morsel.

Signs of choking and their treatment

If the baby or toddler swallows incorrectly and shows signs of choking, immediate intervention is needed. It is important to know that if the child

• is not getting any air at all;

• is unable to cry, speak, or make any sound;

• is gasping or breathing rapidly;

• has a distorted face, possibly turning bluish-gray or purple;

• loses consciousness

there is no time to wait, immediate action is required!

In such an emergency, there are two important things we need to know. One is that panic is the worst advisor, so no matter how scared we are, we must remain calm! The other is that it is strictly forbidden to try to remove the piece by reaching into the child's mouth! It may happen that instead of removing the piece blocking the airway, we push it deeper into the esophagus.

In case of an emergency, call 112 and ask for the dispatcher’s guidance. At the same time, perform the Heimlich maneuver on your young child! For a baby under one year old, lay them on your forearm and try to assist their breathing with gentle taps at the base of the shoulder blades!

Tips to Avoid Choking

To prevent choking incidents in young children, it is advisable to always be with your child when they are eating. If the baby is eager, ensure that there are only one or two bites on their plate at a time! This way, not only can we avoid choking, but we can also introduce them to the normal rhythm of eating.

It is also advisable to take a child life-saving course, which will help us not only recognize the signs of gagging and choking without any doubt but also safely learn the necessary health steps.