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Choking in the Unconscious Infant

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Choking in an unconscious infant may occur when the upper airway, usually the throat or windpipe, is blocked by an object or irritation. An infant is a child under 1 year of age.

What are the causes and risks of the injury?

Choking is usually caused by objects that the infant has placed in his or her mouth. These include toys, candy, popcorn, hot dogs, nuts, batteries, rocks, and buttons. Things that wrap around the neck and constrict it, such as strings or rope, can also cause choking.

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the injury?

Signs and symptoms of choking in an unconscious infant include:

lack of breathing

inability to move air in and out of the lungs, even with assistance

Diagnosis & Tests

How is the injury diagnosed?

An infant who is unconscious due to choking will be unresponsive. The rescuer will be unable to push air into the lungs with mouth-to-mouth breathing. Bystanders may report an episode of choking, followed by unconsciousness.

Prevention & Expectations

What can be done to prevent the injury?

Some cases of choking can be avoided by:

giving infants only age-appropriate toys

avoiding toys that break easily, have small parts, or have batteries

keeping foods such as popcorn, hot dogs, nuts, and seeds away from infants

keeping buttons, watch batteries, coins, rocks, and any other small household items away from infants

keeping strings and ropes away from infants. Never tie a pacifier with string to a baby's clothing. The string could get wrapped around the baby's neck.

Treatment & Monitoring

What are the treatments for the injury?

First aid for an unconscious infant who has choked includes:

checking for signs of circulation, such as normal breathing, coughing, or movement in response to stimulation

contacting the emergency medical system immediately

opening the infant's mouth by grasping the tongue and lower jaw between your thumb and fingers and lifting. Only if you see the object should you gently sweep your index finger in a hooking motion deeply into the infant's mouth to remove it.

starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, if the infant has no signs of circulation. Use 5 chest compressions for every 1 mouth-to-mouth rescue breath.

placing the infant in a side-lying position if he or she starts breathing and monitoring closely

staying with the infant until medical help arrives

What are the side effects of the treatments?

The chest compressions of CPR can cause vomiting, injuries to internal organs, or broken ribs. Vomiting can be a problem if the vomit is caught in the airway and inhaled into the lungs. None of the procedures may work, and the infant may still choke, remain unconscious, or possibly die.

What happens after treatment for the injury?

Anytime an infant chokes, medical attention should be sought since the object may have been inhaled into the lung. This can cause wheezing, persistent cough, or pneumonia.

Attribution

Author:James Broomfield, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Ballenberg, Sally, BS
Edit Date:12/31/00
Reviewer:Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
Date Reviewed:07/05/01

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