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Choking - infant under 1 year - Overview

Definition of Choking - infant under 1 year:

Choking is when an infant can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe).

Considerations:

A choking infant's airway may be completely or partially blocked. A complete blockage is an urgent medical emergency. A partial obstruction can quickly become life threatening if the infant loses the ability to breathe in and out sufficiently.

Without oxygen, permanent brain damage can occur in as little as 4 minutes. Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

Causes:

Choking in infants is usually caused by inhaling a small object that they have placed in their mouth, such as a button, coin, balloon, or watch battery.

  • Reviewed last on: 7/17/2006
  • Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Murray JF, ed. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2000:753.

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: London: Mosby; 2002:90-92.

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