home · On a note · How to help if you get hit. What to do if a foreign body gets into the respiratory tract, esophagus, ear or nose? Removing spherical objects

How to help if you get hit. What to do if a foreign body gets into the respiratory tract, esophagus, ear or nose? Removing spherical objects

Thanks to action films, a stable image of the main character has long been formed in my head. The beefy protagonist, casually holding a machine gun in one hand and an American flag in the other against the backdrop of explosions, shoots back from enemies advancing from all sides. Not a single bullet flies past the enemies and they all dramatically fall dead.

Such pictures certainly cause laughter among people who fought and saw all the horrors of war. It turns out that a bullet hitting a person does not always, or rather, almost never, lead to instant death. So how does it affect the body and how does a person feel?

Sledgehammer or drill

The sensations of receiving a gunshot wound depend on the type of cartridge: they are high-velocity (supersonic) and low-velocity (subsonic).

Combatants describe it this way: “A hit from a supersonic bullet feels like a strong blow with a sledgehammer that can knock you down. The site of impact becomes numb and does not hurt at first. A subsonic bullet is much more vile in this regard - it causes a burning, boring pain, as if the body had been pierced with a hot rod.”

But this is all only if we are talking about standard FMJ (full metal jacket) ammunition, or in Russian - a bullet with a full metal jacket. The peculiarity of the design is, as you might guess, a hard metal coating around the soft lead bullet. Such a bullet does not shatter into pieces inside the body and does not tumble. In the situation described above, we are talking about an intermediate machine gun cartridge of 7.62x39 mm and a subsonic pistol cartridge of 9x18 mm.

Currently, so-called low-pulse cartridges 5.45x39 mm or 5.56x45 NATO are also used in military conflicts. When entering the body, such cartridges begin to tumble and cause extensive internal damage.

“At first I didn’t even understand what happened, it was as if I had been doused with boiling water. And then my head suddenly began to feel dizzy, I broke out in a cold sweat - it’s difficult to explain, but those who felt it will understand, and the state is pre-fainting. And when the shock wore off after a couple of minutes, the pain began to be so intense that I can’t even describe it.” - describes the consequences of being hit in the thigh by an AK-74, a veteran of combat operations in the North Caucasus.

Bullet fool

Meanwhile, even gunshot wounds do not immediately incapacitate. A person, even being mortally wounded, can continue to fight for some time. An American police instructor from Ohio and a member of the local firearms owners' association, Greg Ellifritz, conducted a study on the effects of various types of pistol ammunition on humans and the results were extremely surprising.

Cartridge 6.35×15 mm Browning.
On average, 2.2 shots are required to disable it. Even if hit in the torso, the probability of incapacitating a person is 49%. 35% of people to whom this caliber was used never lost the ability to resist. And only 25% of people died from wounds caused by such cartridges.

Cartridge 5.6×15.6 mm (In Russia, such a cartridge is called “small”)
On average, 1.38 shots are required to disable it. Even if hit in the torso, the probability of incapacitating a person is 60%. 31% of people to whom this caliber was used never lost the ability to resist. And only in 34% did people die from wounds caused by such cartridges.

Cartridge 9x19 mm “Parabellum”
On average, 2.45 shots are required to disable it. Even if hit in the torso, the probability of incapacitating a person is 47%. 13% of people to whom this caliber was used never lost the ability to resist. And only 24% of people died from wounds caused by such cartridges.

Bulletproof Platt

A clear example of how resilient a person is and can continue to resist can be seen in the story that occurred in the USA in 1986 and was called the “Miami Massacre.”

Police surrounded a car containing two bank robbery suspects, one of whom was former Special Forces soldier Michael Platt. The criminals began to shoot back. One of the suspects was wounded and stopped firing, but Platt continued to resist. He received a bullet in the neck from a revolver, then an expansive (explosive) bullet flew into his chest, hitting his arm in front of him, which pierced his lung and artery. After this, Platt received two more hollow-point bullets in the leg and back. Already wounded, he hides behind the car and receives two more revolver shots in the hand (it crushes his hand) and in the chest. While trying to get into the FBI agents' car, he is hit in the legs by buckshot, which breaks one of the bones.

All this time, seriously wounded, Michael continued to fight, moving under fire and reloading his weapon. He killed two and wounded five FBI employees. The shootout ended with three shots to his head, when he had already gotten into a police car to escape. Newspapers nicknamed him “Bulletproof Platt.”

Physiology

As forensic experts say, it is not the bullet that kills, but the damage it causes. And these damages are divided into two types: damage from the bullet itself, tearing tissue and breaking bones, and damage from the energy of the bullet. The fact is that our cells are filled with liquid and a gunshot wound is accompanied by a water hammer. This causes damage to nerve endings and secondary tissue rupture when the bullet has already passed further along the wound channel. A person’s mood also plays a significant role.

According to doctors, the already mentioned Platt was able to continue to act because he initially set himself such a goal. He did not feel pain even when hitting parts of the body riddled with nerve endings. Despite the fact that such places are among the most sensitive.

In such a stressful state, the body tries to ignore the damage, focusing on completing the task. A similar incident occurred in 1991 in Vilnius. Extremists settled in the television center, and Alpha was sent to deal with them. When the special forces crossed the square and went inside, one of the soldiers complained that he had something in his back. It turned out that while still on the square, an automatic bullet flew into his back, but he was focused on carrying out the order and did not even immediately notice the wound, which turned out to be fatal.

It is, of course, impossible to predict in advance who will manage to choke on what. The tragedy can take place in the dining room or on the street, in a car or on an airplane.

At the same time, it is not at all necessary to talk or laugh with your mouth full. It is enough just to think a little or be very surprised for the unfortunate piece to fall into the wrong throat.

There could just as easily be candy or chewing gum in your windpipe, a pill, or a match held between your teeth.

One can only be amazed at the variety of foreign bodies that enter the larynx and trachea. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what might end up in a person's mouth. This is especially true for children.

REMEMBER! What a foolish baby has in his hands will definitely end up in his mouth.

That's why Adults need to be so careful about what their child plays with.

Depending on their shape, all foreign bodies can be divided into three groups.

Wide and flat objects are classified as coin-shaped bodies(coins, buttons, and any flat rounded plates).

Another group combines items that have spherical shape or pea-shaped (dragees, monpensiers, pellets, balls, unchewed pieces of sausage, cucumbers, potatoes or apples, as a rule, do not have sharp corners and are able to move unhindered over long distances).

And finally, the last group to follow pay special attention, includes foreign bodies shaped like a rocker arm. Most often these are pieces of kebab, bound with a thin but very durable fascial film.

This classification is of fundamental importance for the choice of emergency tactics.

Stages of asphyxia (suffocation)

After a foreign body enters the victim begins coughs a lot and turns red. Before our eyes tears come out, A a coughing fit causes vomiting.

If a person fails to free himself from a foreign body, then, depending on the degree of closure of the lumen of the airway, a sharp cough may be accompanied by stridor breathing with a characteristic wheeze on inspiration.

In this case, the foreign body will move further and further with each breath, severely irritating the mucous membrane of the larynx or trachea.

This quickly leads to their swelling, excessive secretion and accumulation of mucus. The most dangerous: swelling of the vocal folds and spasm of the glottis.

REMEMBER! Even a small object with sharp edges that injure the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract can be fatal.

Any foreign body, irritating the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea, significantly impairs the patency of the airways.

Even if in the first minutes the choking person’s condition was relatively good, then in the next 10-15 minutes it can worsen significantly.

Redness of the skin of the face and neck is replaced by severe cyanosis (blue discoloration). Coughing movements become less and less frequent.

Adynamia and apathy appear. Very soon the victim loses consciousness. The description of the condition is called blue asphyxia.

Signs of blue asphyxia:

· Loss of consciousness.

· Blue discoloration of lips, face, neck.

· Swelling of neck vessels.

· Vulture and sinking of the supra- and subclavian fossae on inspiration.

· Presence of a pulse in the carotid artery.

In a few minutes this stage will move into the stage pale asphyxia.

The skin will become pale gray in color. The reaction of the pupils to light and the pulse in the carotid artery will disappear.

In other words, clinical death will occur.

Signs of pale asphyxia,

when the victim is in a state of clinical death:

· Pale skin of the face and neck with a grayish tint.

· Wide, light-sensitive pupils.

· Absence of pulse in the carotid artery.

· Sunken supra- and subclavian fossae.

Foreign bodies entering the upper respiratory tract are one of the types of accidents that often result in death within a few minutes.

Be that as it may, someone’s life will depend on the actions of people who happen to be nearby.

REMEMBER! When providing assistance, rely only on your own strength.

The most common mistakes when providing assistance

REMEMBER! Do not do it:

· Begin emergency care by wasting time examining the oral cavity.

· Try to remove the foreign body with your finger or tweezers.

As a rule, under the influence of saliva, the fatal piece of sausage or apple softens so much that even with careful removal, some part of it will definitely come off and, like a vacuum cleaner hose, rush into the larynx. Thus, you will lose your only chance of salvation.

First aid methods

Removing spherical objects

REMEMBER! If a child chokes on a pea, you should immediately turn the baby head down and tap the back several times with your palm at the level of the shoulder blades.

The first thing you should do to help is:

· Turn the victim onto his stomach.

· Throw it over the back of a chair or your own thigh.

· Strike several times with an open palm between the shoulder blades.

If, after several blows between the shoulder blades, the foreign body does not fall to the floor, then you must immediately begin other methods of removing it.

Emergency assistance when hit by coin-shaped objects

REMEMBER! When a coin hits, there is no need to expect success from the previous method: the piggy bank effect is triggered.

In this situation, you need to resort to methods aimed at shaking the chest.

It is necessary to force the foreign body to change its position.

Then there will be hope that, as a result of a strong concussion of the chest, it will either rotate around its axis, freeing up the passage for air, or, moving down the trachea, will eventually end up in one of the bronchi.

Due to anatomical features, the foreign body most often ends up in the right bronchus.

Of course, this will make it difficult to remove it in the future, but it will give the person the opportunity to breathe at least with one lung and, therefore, survive.

Unacceptable! Hit the back with a fist or the edge of your palm.

There are several ways to shake the chest. The most common of them is tapping your back with your palm.

Short but frequent blows to the interscapular area are most effective.

Remember! Hitting the back can only be done with an open palm.

Another method, more effective, was called the “American Police Method”.

To carry it out, you need to stand behind the victim, wrap your arms around him so that your hands, folded into a lock, are below his xiphoid process, and then with a sharp movement press strongly under the diaphragm and hit your back against your chest.

This will allow not only a strong shock, but also, as a result of a sharp displacement of the diaphragm, squeeze out the remaining air from the lungs and thereby significantly increase the likelihood of dislodging a foreign body.

REMEMBER! A blow to the epigastric region can lead to loss of consciousness and sudden cardiac arrest, so you should not unclench your hands immediately after the blow.

Using this option, you must be prepared for the possibility that the victim will develop clinical death.

All of the above methods can be used if The choking person is conscious.

If he is in a coma, then it should be immediately turn over on your right side and hit your back with your palm several times. But, as a rule, one cannot count on success from such an action.

Despite the fact that cycling is a relatively safe method of transportation, no person is immune from an emergency situation. Therefore, it is necessary to determine in advance for yourself what exactly needs to be done under such circumstances.

Most often, accidents involving cyclists occur due to the fault of car drivers. Official statistics show that the majority of road accidents are collisions with a passing car turning right.

Cyclists rarely collide with each other and with pedestrians.
What should a cyclist do in an accident?

You need to stop, calm down and check if there is any vehicle coming towards you. You should not stay on the roadway. Also, do not move or touch the bicycle. Then you need to call the traffic police and ambulance, if necessary.
In the first minutes after the accident, the person is in a state of shock. This feeling can greatly suppress pain, even if significant wounds are present. It is advisable to ask someone around you to examine you and provide first aid. By the time the doctors arrive, you should already know all the visible and invisible damage. They should be recorded and a medical certificate obtained, which may be useful in court proceedings.
Even if a bicycle causes a traffic jam, it cannot be removed from the roadway until the traffic police arrive. If you are outside the city, install an identification sign 15-30 meters before the accident. You can also take a photo of the accident scene.
Under no circumstances should the person responsible for the accident be released from the scene of the accident. He needs to be brought to justice first. If he escaped, try to remember or write down his car number. If he is injured, he needs to provide first aid and call an ambulance.
It is very important to find witnesses who can tell you all the details of the collision. Then all their statements will be entered into the traffic police report. You can even write down their details in order to later enter them into the protocol. If we turn to the law, then any person who has any information on the case can act as a witness.
If a bicycle greatly interferes with the movement of cars, it is necessary to draw up a detailed diagram of the accident. All this must be recorded in the presence of several witnesses.

If there are no injuries as a result of an emergency, drivers have the right to arrive at the nearest traffic police post with a diagram of the incident and resolve the problem themselves.
When communicating with a traffic police officer, you do not need to provide unnecessary information. It is enough to calmly talk about the situation and state all the facts. You must create the impression of a competent and educated person. You should not write in the protocol what the inspector dictates. Be sure to make sure that the report indicates all damage to the bicycle, even the most minor. The road accident diagram must be signed by two participants in the emergency and several witnesses.

According to the Constitution, you are not required to give evidence to traffic police officers. It is best to calm down and resolve all issues in the presence of a lawyer. After an accident, you should ask someone you know to drive you home if you are not picked up by an ambulance.

If you have insurance, you may be able to receive financial compensation for an accident. To do this, you need to bring the road accident report to the insurance company. The amount of insurance will depend on many factors: the type of contract, the nature of the accident, damage to the bike, etc.

Attention! Do not use solutions of acids or alkalis for a neutralization reaction on the victim’s skin.

What if phosphorus gets on your skin?

What should you do if quicklime gets on the victim’s skin?

PP instructions clause 12.6. Actions in cases of skin damage from aggressive chemicals

Attention! Do not use solutions of acids or alkalis for a neutralization reaction on the victim’s skin.

1. Immediately remove clothing soaked in the chemical.

2. Rinse the affected areas generously with cold water until the doctor arrives.

3. Offer the victim plenty of warm drink.

4. In the absence of allergic reactions, offer 2-3 tablets of analgin.

What if quicklime gets on your skin?

It is necessary to remove the lime with a dry cloth. Do not wet or rinse with water under any circumstances.

What if phosphorus gets on your skin?

Immediately immerse the burned area in cold water for 15-20 minutes and remove phosphorus particles with a stick.

What should be done if a victim in a state of clinical death is removed from a well, sewer or removed from the fire?

PP instructions clause 14. Actions in cases of poisoning with dangerous gases in sewers or wells

Attention! If the victim, who is in a confined space below ground level, does not show signs of life, poisoning with very dangerous gases should be suspected.

Remember your own safety! You can only go down to the victim while wearing an insulating gas mask.

1. Pull the victim to the surface.

2. If there is no pulse in the carotid artery, begin resuscitation.

3. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, but there is no consciousness for more than 4 minutes, turn onto your stomach and apply cold to your head.

If you don't have a protective mask?

Carry out chest compressions - ventilation-free resuscitation until medical personnel arrive or a protective mask appears.

14.1. Actions in cases of detection of a victim with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

Attention! If a victim with an unnaturally pink skin color lies motionless in a confined space heated with wood or coal and there is a large amount of vomit near him, carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected.

1. Provide access to fresh air or remove the victim from the room.

Explanation. It is enough to break or open a window, and after 2-3 minutes staying in the room will become safe, or drag the victim 5-6 meters from the front door and close it tightly.

2. If there is no pulse in the carotid artery, begin resuscitation, see paragraph 5.5.

Remember about your own safety! Inhalation can only be done through a protective plastic mask, see paragraph 5.6.1.

3. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, unfasten the collar of your clothing and loosen the waist belt, raise your legs and bring a cotton swab with ammonia to your nose, see step 6.

4. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, but there is no consciousness for more than 4 minutes, turn on your stomach and apply cold to your head, see point 7.

PP instructions clause 16.2. Actions in a warm room in case of frostbite of the feet

Signs of frostbite:

- loss of sensation in fingers,

- initially pale skin, after a few hours it turns purple and blisters appear.

1. Before entering a warm room from the cold, tap the toe of one foot on the heel of the other. If the tips of your toes do not feel anything, do not remove dry shoes indoors.

2. Drink 50 ml of vodka (you can use cognac, brandy, whiskey) and 3-4 glasses of warm sweet tea.

3. In the absence of allergic reactions, take 2-3 tablets of analgin.

4. After 10-15 minutes, when pain appears in the frostbite area, take off your shoes, treat the skin with vodka or alcohol and massage the lower leg in the direction from the knee joint to the big toe.

Attention! Do not place frostbitten limbs in warm water or cover them with heating pads.

If the shoes are damp or have holes?

Take off your shoes and wrap the limb in a warm blanket or put on dry felt boots.

If the skin turns purple and blisters appear?

Cover with a clean cloth.

PP instructions clause 17. What to do if your legs are crushed by a heavy object

Attention! If within 15 minutes it was not possible to remove a limb from under a heavy object (you can dig under it), then all attempts to free it should be stopped and rescue services should be called. Only if it is not possible to call rescuers should you proceed to positions 5, 6 and 7.

1. In the absence of allergic reactions, give 2-3 tablets of analgin.

2. Cover crushed limbs with bags of ice, snow or cold water.

3. Offer plenty of warm fluids.

4. Apply protective tourniquets to the compressed limbs (if possible before their release and always after their release).

5. Immediately after release, tightly bandage the injured limbs.

6. Apply splints or secure the victim in a vacuum mattress.

7. Continue to give plenty of fluids until doctors arrive.

If your head, chest or stomach are pressed?

Do not stop attempting to lift a heavy object until rescue services arrive.

Which of the following should not be done if bitten by a poisonous snake?

PP instructions clause 18. Actions in cases of snake bites and poisonous insects

Attention! Do not apply tourniquets or apply heating pads or warming compresses to the bite site.

1. Remove the sting from the wound.

2. Apply cold to the bite site.

3. Place 5-6 drops of galazolin into the bite wound.

4. For snake bites on the leg or arm, be sure to apply a splint.

5. Give plenty of and preferably sweet drinks.

What if the victim lost consciousness?

Turn him onto his stomach.

What if the victim lost consciousness and his carotid pulse disappeared?

Start resuscitation.

When playing, children often not only take foreign bodies into their mouths, but also stick them into their noses. These are most often peas, seeds, pieces of paper, foil, candy wrappers, and mother-of-pearl buttons. At the same time, the child breathes poorly through his nose, he has constant discharge from one nostril, and something in his nose bothers him.

Doctor's advice

  • If your child puts a small object in his mouth or nose, first make sure he spits it out or the object falls out.
  • Do not try to remove the object by force, as this may complicate the situation and injure your mouth and nose.
  • Take your child to the doctor immediately!

Read below on how to provide first aid at home before the doctor arrives.

Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract

Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract are dangerous to the child's life. Oxygen does not reach the lungs, and the most dramatic situation can arise when the baby’s life is in the balance.

In children, the larynx is located higher than in adults, so the path of passage of a foreign body from the oral cavity to the respiratory tract is shorter. And the teeth do not hold well on a piece of food, which easily falls into the larynx with a stream of air.

The larynx should protect the lower respiratory tract from foreign bodies. This is a highly complex and at the same time very primitive organ. Whatever touches the surface of the larynx, it reacts with a spasm of the glottis. The nerves in the larynx send a signal to the brain that something has entered the larynx. A cough occurs. This protective mechanism of the larynx protects the trachea and bronchi, on the other hand, it makes it difficult for a foreign body to move back from the trachea into the oral cavity. That is, the removal of a foreign body is hindered by the valve mechanism of the tracheobronchial tree - the so-called piggy bank mechanism (figure).

Doctors are convinced that 99 percent of cases of foreign bodies entering the respiratory tract are due to parental oversight. You need to be especially attentive to children under 5 years old; As our experience shows, the greatest number of victims occurs precisely at this age.

The circumstances under which foreign bodies enter the respiratory tract are varied. This can happen when laughing or coughing, while eating or drinking, when being scared, playing, or a sudden shock.

  • Don't leave your child alone!
  • Most troubles happen in the absence of adults!
  • Don't leave the table until your child has eaten!

The concept of “dangerous object” is very relative. Most often, foreign bodies get into the “wrong throat” when eating. It is not the children who are to blame for this, but the parents, who themselves are used to eating quickly and rushing their children. It’s even worse when there’s a game at the table to see who can eat faster.

Follow the golden rule of our grandmothers: “When I eat, I am deaf and dumb.”

During the wonderful ripening time of plums, grapes, watermelons, sunflowers, and apples, children often inhale the seeds. For parents, every minute counts. It is necessary not only to collect the grown crop, but also to make preparations for the winter. Busy with their own affairs, parents forget that a delicious piece of apple or cherry can bring a child’s life to the brink of disaster in an instant.

Having penetrated the respiratory tract, pieces of food especially often lead to complications, since, when decomposing, they cause long-term inflammatory changes in the lungs, and it is extremely difficult for a doctor to remove them entirely. Even a small fish bone stuck into the mucous membrane causes swelling and inflammation.

All seeds must first be removed from any dish served to a child, since children do not know how to do this on their own.

Give children fruits and berries, freed from seeds!

The apple should be without seeds, and the soup should be without bones! The nutritional value of nuts is known. However, an ordinary nut is considered a high-risk food, because it must be chewed and swallowed. It is difficult for a child to do this due to the absence of all teeth and the large amount of saliva required to swallow the nut.

Add peeled and finely chopped nuts to porridge or salad!

Mosaics, construction sets, and “kinder surprises” are prohibited for children under three years of age. However, parents should be critical of every toy they bring into the house or buy. Miniature shoes of a Barbie doll, wheels poorly attached to the car, beady eyes can end up in the baby’s mouth.

Children have a great thirst for imitation and knowledge. I want to do everything like mom and dad. Young successors to the dynasty of carpenters, seamstresses, radio amateurs, gardeners, and badge collectors can inhale nails, buttons, needles, pins, and seeds.

Keep household items out of the reach of children!

  • There are no small things in a child's life, so do not forget to hide everything that may end up in the child's mouth. Humanity has not yet developed any other prevention.

What to do if the precautions don't work?

First aid if hit foreign body V nasal cavity

Ask your child to forcefully blow his nose. If the foreign body does not come out, stop, don’t do anything, call an ambulance immediately! Further manipulations are dangerous for the child’s life: you can push a foreign body into the nasopharynx; when inhaling, it will fall into the larynx and the child may suffocate.

First aid if hit foreign body V larynx

A foreign body in the larynx causes a cough, and an attack of suffocation begins. The baby may lose consciousness. The life of a child largely depends on the nature of the foreign body, its location and duration of stay in the larynx. The condition of children with a foreign body in the larynx is most often severe. However, when swallowing a small sharp object (sewing needle, fish bone) in the first hours after entering the larynx, there are no signs of breathing problems. The phenomenon of narrowing of the larynx occurs in such cases later, when the mucous membrane begins to swell.

Shortness of breath, cough, voice disorder are important signs indicating the presence of a foreign body in the larynx, but they can lead to a diagnostic error if the parents did not notice that a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract.

What to do if a foreign body from the larynx has passed into the trachea

Most often the child feels better. Breathing disorders are less pronounced. The cough becomes constant, worsens at night, when the child behaves restlessly. With light movable foreign bodies (for example, a sunflower seed), a popping sound can be clearly heard during crying, laughing, or coughing. This is the result of a foreign body striking the undersurface of the vocal folds during exhalation.

Sometimes coughing attacks are expressed sharply, accompanied by a blue face and vomiting. All symptoms resemble the clinical picture of whooping cough. A chest x-ray also does not allow a correct diagnosis, since many foreign bodies (a nut, a piece of carrot, apple, pea) are non-contrast and are not visible on the images.

A correct diagnosis in this case can only be made with the help of parents, who must remember any situation in which a foreign body could enter the child’s respiratory tract.

What to do if it is foreign the body passed into the bronchi

At this moment, it seems that everything terrible is over - the child has calmed down. No cough. Breathing became free. Unfortunately, parents are also becoming complacent. Meanwhile, the process continues in the lungs. After all, a child breathes with one lung. Closure of the second bronchus leads to collapse of the lung and the development of purulent inflammation, leading to disability.

Signs of a foreign body in the respiratory tract:

  • suffocation;
  • coughing attack;
  • turning blue;
  • loss of consciousness.

Remember! Any foreign body in the respiratory tract is a time bomb that can cause death by suffocation.

Doctor's advice

  • Call emergency medical services immediately! Don't waste your precious time.
  • Do not treat the child yourself; the foreign body may change position. The situation in such cases develops rapidly, and seconds of delay can cost the child his life.
  • The valve mechanism of the larynx prevents the child from coughing up a foreign body, so in the event of sudden suffocation, before emergency medical help arrives, you should resort to the following methods:

– place a small child on your thigh upside down and tap him on the back (Fig. a);

– place the middle and index fingers on the sternum between the nipples and tap (Fig. b);

– for older children, grab the standing child from behind with both hands and press firmly, push-like, just below the xiphoid process (Fig. a);

– the same method can be used for a lying child (Fig. b).

  • Do not confuse the described methods with artificial respiration. Artificial respiration does not help remove the foreign body!

Remember, only a doctor can save a child. Foreign bodies of the larynx, trachea and bronchi are removed in the hospital using special equipment. In rare cases, when the foreign body cannot be removed, the patient undergoes surgery.

First aid for a foreign body in the esophagus

A child, especially under three years of age, makes his acquaintance with any new subject that interests him in a very unique way. First, he takes it into his mouth, sometimes sucking for a long time: the sucking reflex is a habitual unconditioned reflex of a person. And not only sucks. Very often he swallows objects that catch his eye.

Fortunately, sometimes, after swallowing balls, coins, rings and other small, even objects, a child does not risk anything: the foreign body, having passed through the gastrointestinal tract, will soon end up in the potty.

However, large objects (pacifiers, parts of toys, large pieces of food) can stop in the esophagus, as physiological narrowings predispose it to this. Other objects (glass, needles, pins) located in the esophagus can damage its wall, cause inflammation or bleeding.

Signs of a foreign body in the esophagus:

  • difficulty swallowing;
  • refusal to eat;
  • increased salivation;
  • vomit;
  • pain, tingling in the front of the neck.

It must be remembered that the manifestations of a foreign body in the esophagus are varied. This is due to the nature of the foreign body, its location in the esophagus, and the age of the child. Of great importance is the degree of blockage of the lumen of the esophagus and the effect of the swallowed foreign body on the adjacent respiratory tract. Unfortunately, a smooth, flat foreign body can lie in the esophagus for a very long time without showing itself in any way. In such a case, the danger is that it causes inflammation - rupture of the walls of the esophagus, bleeding, as well as a serious, dangerous complication - inflammation of the mediastinal organs.

What to do at home if a foreign body is stuck in the esophagus?

Doctor's advice

  • Call an ambulance.
  • Ask your child what exactly he swallowed and how much time has passed. There may be cases when a child swallows an object containing a chemical that can cause poisoning or burn the walls of the esophagus.
  • Do not try to induce vomiting yourself!
  • If a child is vomiting with a large admixture of fresh blood, it is necessary to calm him down before the doctor arrives, put him to bed, and place an ice pack or chilled water on the abdominal area. You can't give him anything to drink!

All foreign bodies retained in the esophagus are removed using special equipment in a hospital setting.

What to do if a foreign body gets into your ear

An insect may crawl into a child's ear or a small object may accidentally get into it and be difficult to remove. If a foreign body enters the ear canal, hearing may be impaired, and sometimes itching occurs.

Doctor's advice

  • You can remove an insect from your ear at home as follows. Drop a few drops of vegetable oil into your ear with a pipette and consult a doctor.
  • If a foreign object has penetrated deep into the ear and is difficult to remove, do not try to do it yourself, especially using a pin or the like. You can damage the eardrum and deprive your child of hearing for life.

Eye injuries can be caused by many different reasons, including: a blow to the eye; Strong chemicals such as lye, bleach, or acid that can burn the tissues of the eye and cause permanent damage. sand, paint splashes, metal shavings or...