Foreign Body Aspiration

Abstract

Aspiration of foreign material occurs predominantly in children aged 6 months to 3 years. Over 2,000 deaths a year are caused by foreign body aspiration(1). Not only can the actual aspiration be fatal, but the treatment, bronchoscopy, is not without risk. Parents should be reminded not to feed small children or infants such foods as nuts, popcorn, or sunflower seeds, because these are commonly aspirated. When an infant begins to crawl, parents must be aware that small reachable items can be dangerous. Everything goes to an infant's mouth. Toys should be checked for such loose or removable small parts as wheels on cars, eyes on stuffed animals, and the insides of rattles. Total prevention may be virtually impossible, but caution may prevent some aspirations. The severity of the problem depends on the size of the aspirated object and the degree of the obstruction. Initial symptoms may include choking, gagging, wheezing, and paroxysmal coughing. Then, there may be a period of hours, days, or weeks with no symptoms present. Eventually, secondary symptoms result in a persistent respiratory infection distal to the site of the obstruction. By the time this occurs, the parents may have forgotten about the initial choking episode.