Dr. Saad Saad a pediatric surgeon who has used his skilled hands to remove foreign objects from the airway and food pipe there’s more than 1,000 children over his 40-plus year career. Children as young as six months of age and you’re as old as 14 years of age have required Dr. Saad Saad to surgically intervene on their behalf to remove foreign objects such as food or coins from the patients’ trachea or esophagus.
Young children are curious about the world around them will often try to place things in their mouth and swallow them if no one is there to stop them. Something that appears to pose no threat to the safety of the child such as a coin that has fallen from a pocket can cause a serious issue if a small child places it in their mouth and tries to swallow it. Signs that may indicate a child has a foreign object stuck in their throat include difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing or trouble swallowing. If a child has any of these issues they may need emergency assistance right away.
Common items that can become stuck when a child attempts to swallow them are peanuts, hot dogs, and coins. The size of the object usually determines where it will become stuck for example larger objects such as coins or hot dogs are likely to become lodged in the food pipe, while objects such as peanuts which are smaller in size normally become stuck in the windpipe. It is recommended that anyone caring for children is trained in the proper use of first aid and the Heimlich maneuver that is appropriate for the age of the child and that caregivers should never attempt to use a finger to dislodge an object stuck in a child’s throat.
If a child has an object lodged in their esophagus or trachea that cannot be cleared it is recommended that they are taken to the closest emergency room for an examination by a physician. Emergency rooms have access to testing equipment such as x-rays that can be used to determine the appropriate course of action to remove the foreign object.
Parents and caregivers should listen to Dr. Saad Saad advice when it comes two things your child can get stuck in there throat including never allowing a child under 2 years of age to consume hot dogs because if they are not chewed properly they can easily block to child’s food pipe. Another piece of advice the doctor offers is to never let a child under 7 years old eat peanuts. Peanuts can get stuck in the windpipe of younger children and prove difficult to remove if they become lodged because the surface is uneven and peanuts can crumble during extraction with pieces moving into the child’s lungs. Learn more : https://about.me/ssaad/getstarted