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Conference moira::parenting_v3

Title:Parenting
Notice:READ 1.27 BEFORE WRITING
Moderator:CSC32::DUBOIS
Created:Wed May 30 1990
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1364
Total number of notes:23848

961.0. "WORRIED ABOUT CHOKING" by DUCK::LYNGA () Tue Jun 11 1991 15:52

    
    Sometimes I think I worry about everything far too much, but here's my
    latest anxiety, which is causing me lots of grief!  I'm sure I'll be
    grey by the time Rosie reaches school-age!
    
    Rosie is 7 months and developing perfectly normally in all respects. 
    I'm in the process of introducing solid foods and weaning her off of
    the bottle.  The thing that is making me rigid with fear all the time
    is when she's eating - I'm just so terrified in case she chokes.  
      
    Also, I'm not sure what foods I should be giving her but I've been 
    trying slices of apple, fingers of buttered toast and rusks which she 
    absolutely  adores.  A couple of times she's started spluttering and
    obviously has bits stuck in her throat, but so far she's cleared them
    herself.  When this happens I'm just a bag of nerves!  I'm also 
    spoon-feeding her with semi-solid  food from jars - all types of varieties 
    although she seems to only want the fruit/sweeter ones and not the
    savouries.
    
    My "other half" says I'm being neurotic, but as I tell him "I've never
    done this before" and I just don't know where to start.  Exactly what
    can babies cope with at this age??
    
    Thanks for any advice/help/suggestions.
    
    Ali
    
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961.1CPR may helpCTHQ2::SANDSTROMborn of the starsTue Jun 11 1991 16:0010
    If you haven't taken a CPR course (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation)
    then I strongly suggest that you do.  Part of the course teaches
    you how to deal with choking - in infants and adults - as well as
    how to do mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose breating (also for infants
    and adults).  
    
    Perhaps if you learn how to handle a choking situation you'll be able 
    to relax and enjoy your baby and won't worry about it quite so much.  
    
    Conni
961.2choose things that dissolve readilyCNTROL::STOLICNYTue Jun 11 1991 16:0317
    
    I think that some gagging is to be expected with the introduction
    of solid foods.   However, you should probably strive to give her
    things that she can't bite off large pieces that might obstruct the
    airway.  This would mean sticking to either very soft table food
    (pancakes, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, etc) or very hard things
    that she can "gum to death" (i.e. zwieback toast, hard pretzels, etc).
    I'd personally steer clear of the apple at this age unless it was 
    shaved very thin.   
    
    My son has a couple of scary choking episodes where he ended up heaving
    his whole meal (strong gag reflex!) so I know how scary it can be!
    
    Good luck,
    Carol
    
    P.S.  Weaning from the bottle at 7 months - wow, that's early!
961.3CPR course eased my mindTARKIN::TRIOLOVictoria TrioloTue Jun 11 1991 16:135
    
    I have a 4 month old and was worried about the same thing.
    I took a "community" CPR course.  It covers infants, children
    and adults. It was very well done and I'm no longer nervous
    about my baby choking because I could do something about it.
961.4Infant CPRTHOTH::CUNNINGHAMTue Jun 11 1991 16:5410
    
    Not sure where you are located, but the Mill (MLO) is holding an Infant
    CPR course June 20th for employees....  But you have to be Red Cross
    Certified in Adult CPR to qualify.
    
    FYI
    
    Chris
    (I'll be attending, and see if there is anything I can add here later)
    
961.5Another vote for take the class & relaxTAKEIT::STHILAIRETue Jun 11 1991 17:1715
    I have an 8 month old and she does pretty much the same thing with
    solids.    I think they just need to get used to the change in texture
    (from liquid to solids).  It's only natural they need to practice
    before they get it down pat.  It's so funny to watch her taste and test
    new flavors and textures.   
    
    My sister and I recently (March 1991) took the Red Cross Child/Infant 
    CPR Course in Manchester, NH.  The course cost was $30.00 and you did
    not have to be previously certified in their Adult CPR course in order
    to take the Child/Infant course.  For a total investment of $30 and
    about six hours of your time, I highly recommend it.   
    
    Tricia
    
    
961.6Different courses at different sitesCYCLPS::CHALMERSSki or die...Tue Jun 11 1991 18:346
    Also, some DEC facilities do periodicly run a all-day combined
    Adult/Infant CPR class that doesn't require certification as a 
    pre-requisite. I took one last year on-site, and it didn't cost 
    me a thing. If your facility doesn't have one scheduled, ask your
    personnel services department to check around for one at a location
    near you.
961.7Other sourcesINTER::STEINHARTPixillatedTue Jun 11 1991 19:224
    I took the Infant/Child CPR course at Parkland Hospital in Derry.  You
    could try calling several local hospitals.  Parkland has a waiting list
    of several months.  The local Red Cross would also know where you can
    take it locally.
961.8take it slowlyWR2FOR::BELINSKY_MATue Jun 11 1991 20:0619
    My daughter is 9 months old and I have worried about this too.  I have
    taken the Infant CPR course, but also am very careful with what I give
    her to chew on. Zwieback toasts worked well at first, and also watching
    to make sure she didn't bite off any big chunks. We just took it
    slowly.
    
    Now she is getting tired of the mushy baby food, and refuses it. So we
    take table food and mash it for her.  The change in texture is just
    what she wants.  As for finger food, we still do zwieback toasts,
    arrowroot cookies, breadsticks.  The rest is soft foods. We tried
    cheerios and she refused to eat them.
    
    I still worry a little, but would rather go slow and avoid anything
    that could either lodge in her throat or stick to her mouth (like white
    bread).  I bet she can chew better than we realize. But until she gets
    more teeth we'll continue to try things one at a time.
                                    
    
    ---Mary  
961.9Thanks!DUCK::LYNGAWed Jun 12 1991 14:345
    I forgot to mention, but I'm actually in the UK, but I'll try to find a
    local St. John's Ambulance or Red Cross course to attend.  Thanks for
    the ideas.
    
    Ali
961.10avoid peanut butterCHCLAT::HAGENPlease send truffles!Wed Jun 12 1991 16:477
961.11NEURON::REEVESFri Jun 14 1991 15:193
    	Shayne used to make choking sounds when we first started him on
    solids and it would scare me to death, now that he realizes that he
    gets a reaction from me it is a constant attention getter for him. 
961.12Reference to note 199JAWS::TRIPPFri Jul 26 1991 16:2511
    I just wanted to point you back to my note 199, written just about a
    year ago.  It ended up being quite lengthy, but it's an experience I
    can't get out of my mind.
    
    FWIW, my sister inlaw mentioned the other day she has never given
    either of her children (7 and 4) hot dogs due to the fear of chocking.
    I used to buy the jars of "Toddler dinner", a little coarser than
    junior food, and when AJ choked just a little, I'd take and whirl them
    in the food processor, simply because MY nerves couldn't take it!
    
    Lyn