We did not find Airway foreign body in Barranquilla, Colombia

What is an airway foreign body?

It is an object or food that enters the larynx, trachea or bronchi instead of going to the stomach. It is most common in children aged 1 to 3, who put everything in their mouths. Peanuts, nuts, seeds, whole grapes, sliced sausages, hard candy, toy parts and button batteries are the most dangerous.

What to do if a child chokes and cannot breathe?

If they cannot cough, cry, speak or breathe, call your local emergency number and perform first aid: for babies under one year, back blows and chest thrusts; for older children and adults, abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver). If they can cough forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing and do not try to remove the object blindly with your fingers.

Why seek care even if the child seems fine?

After choking, the object can lodge in a bronchus and cause, days or weeks later, persistent cough, one-sided wheezing or repeated pneumonia in the same spot. If there was a choking episode with strong coughing, even if it settled, the child should be evaluated. Treatment is removing the object by bronchoscopy.

How can it be prevented?

Do not give whole nuts, popcorn or hard candy to children under 4 or 5; cut grapes, sausages and round foods lengthwise into small pieces; have children eat seated, not running or playing; check toys are age-appropriate; and keep button batteries and magnets out of reach.

Find airway foreign body specialists

On MedicosDoc you can find pediatric pulmonologists, pediatric ENT doctors and pediatric surgeons. If a child is choking with difficulty breathing, call your local emergency number or go to the emergency room.