Question

Sammy, age 3 years, ate his dinner and then said his tummy hurt. His mother suggested he lie down in the adjacent room while his parents finished dinner. A few minutes later, they heard Sammy vomiting. His mother rushed in to lift Sammy up. When vomiting ceased, they noticed Sammy continued to cough and seemed to be choking. He was struggling to breathe and a wheezing sound was obvious. It appeared that he had aspirated some vomitus. His parents drove him to a nearby hospital for examination.

Discuss the pathophysiologic changes causing the signs and symptoms and any tests required to clarify the effects on Sammy.

Answer 1

Choking is risk whenever eating especially in children below 3yrs.Choking is just a sign showing that some foreign objects have entered an individuals airway,medically it is called FOREIGN BODY AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION and its a medical emergency,Here in sammys case he aspirated food.

Sammys body was showing signs and symptoms of choking. Lets go through

Initial symptom was vomiting- trying to throw out foreign body (food).When mom lift him up vomiting stopped and started with coughing(Severity wise he has only mild obstruction ) that means trying to clear the air way by himself by coughing ,probably food is partially obstructed.

Then started to have breathing difficulty associated with high pitch sound (medically called stridor) that means severe obstructioncogh was ineffective his airway is completly obstructed and he experiencing respiratory difficulty and he needs immediate help. and he was brought to hospital.The obstruction need to be relieved and airway needs to be open using abdominal thrust maneuever.It can only be performed if he is consious and it can be continued until the food is dislodged.If he becomes unconcious ,have to lie him in supine position ,Open mouth and check for food,try to remove it with single finger sweep,if unsucessful start CPR for 2minutes ,Each time airway opened should look for food and if found need to be removed.

Test required to avoid complication

chest xray to see whether food entered the lung or injury to larynx and if performed CPR any fracture occured