Baby breakfast disaster!

It was a fine morning, and an energetic Kuria did what he was accustomed to: as he left for work, he passed through where baby Wambui was sleeping, kissed her good bye and then rushed off. He was close to his daughter: he loved her very much. Every evening he made sure he brought his baby girl some biscuits, cake or fruit. In unclear baby language she would ask ‘Daddy umeniletea nini leo (daddy what have you brought me today)?’ She was still learning to talk. Kuria would playfully respond in the same babyish language.

‘Bye mum.’ he told his baby that morning. Unknown to Kuria, it was to be the last time he would bid his daughter farewell. Wambui died later that morning in the hands of her mum, Mwikali.

Mwikali was Kuria’s fifth wife, or rather his fifth attempt at keeping a wife. Baby Wambui was their first child. One-and-a-half-year-old Wambui was loved by everyone especially her grandmother, whom she was named after. Her grandmother had grown very fond of Wambui. She felt that at long last his son would settle with Mwikali, as he had a tendency of marrying women, then breaking up with them after a short time. He had ended five childless marriages, and since this one came with a child, Wambui’s grandmother knew that it would work.

After Kuria left for work that fateful morning, his wife began doing her laundry. Baby Wambui woke up at around 10 o’clock. Mwikali had prepared a cup of tea and a boiled egg for Wambui’s breakfast. The child had her own small plate and cup and her baby chair which she used at every meal time. She had learned to push the seat closer to the table and call her mum to place her properly on the seat. She would then attain a disciplined posture and wait to be served. While eating, her mum always ensured that she sat next to Wambui to monitor her feeding and help her along. Sometimes Wambui would play with the food and spill it, or playfully splash drinks on the table.

On that day, however, Mwikali decided that Wambui would feed herself without supervision. It was not the first time the child was going to feed herself, though, lately the baby was feeding well without her mother’s intervention, and therefore Mwikali was starting to gain the pride of a mother whose baby was growing up and feeding without much prompting.

Unfortunately, it was the last time Mwikali would help her daughter seat properly at the table.

Mwikali was busy outside the house washing clothes when she suddenly heard the baby coughing. She rushed back into the house just in time to see her baby falling off the seat. By the time Mwikali got to Wambui, she was lying on the floor struggling to breathe. She appeared frightened, with a wide gaze. Mwikali quickly realised the baby was choking. She lifted the baby and laid her on the lap. Anxiously and frightened Mwikali began to thump the baby’s back with her palm. At the same time she pushed two fingers into the baby’s mouth to try and dislodge the food that was choking the baby or at least induce vomiting.

Wambui’s little hand was frantically grasping at the air. Suddenly she stopped, her hand dropped and all went silent.
At first Mwikali thought she had succeeded in getting the food out of the baby’s throat, hence the baby’s relaxation. However on looking closer the only thing that caught her attention was the look on the baby’s eye… the white part had rolled over. There were tears on the baby’s cheeks.

At that juncture Mwikali screamed at the top of her voice. Her mother-in-law was the first to respond as neighbours rushed to the scene. Mwikali’s mother-in-law held the baby in her arms, and told her that the baby did not seem to be alive.

Wambui’s tea was still at the table. It looked as though she had not taken a single sip. But the egg was not there, save for some leftovers. An egg had robbed Mwikali of the most precious thing in her life.

Mwikali blamed herself for her daughter’s death. She would say she could not find room in her heart to forgive herself.

Immediately after the burial Kuria threw Mwikali out of his house, calling her all sorts of names. The marriage was over.

What should one do when a baby chokes?

When a baby chokes, ensure that anything in the mouth and throat is removed immediately. Then turn the child upside down, while parting the back slowly, for gravity to help drain the wind pipe for a few seconds. This also stimulates a cough which can expel any deep-seated foreign body. Check if the child is breathing. If not, press on the chest slowly to stimulate breathing. If still not breathing, do some mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while pressing gently on the child’s chest intermittently, to stimulate spontaneous respiration. As soon as the baby is stable, rush him/her to hospital for a check up.

What are the signs of choking?

When choking, a baby starts to develop laboured breathing, restlessness with features of struggling, may cough and appears frightened with a wide gaze. The legs and hands may be thrown about in a groping manner. This is followed by visible loss of strength if the child is not assisted quickly. He/She may soon collapse and even die.

What are the implications of choking?
Choking blocks respiration. This may be due to the foreign body causing the choking, or the reflex spasm of the respiratory system resulting from the choking. Consequent lack of oxygen may cause brain death or respiratory failure. The foreign substance may also introduce chest infection or cause chemical pneumonia. All these can result in the death of the baby.

What specifically causes death after choking?

Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death. There may also be brain damage, chemical pneumonia, infective pneumonia, lung collapse and other complications which may end up in death.

What foods or items should a parent be most vigilant about?
Any type of food can choke a child. There are however certain foods, that pose a higher risk of choking. Among the foods to be careful with; are bulky foods and solid foods. Any food likely to have sharp objects like fish bones, must also be carefully sorted out before being fed to a child.

The rate of eating is also important. Children should feed slowly under watchful eyes, and not swallow large unchewed chunks of food. They should also not eat in a hurry. How often do parents tell their kids; ‘If you are number one I will buy you a present’? The result? The baby fills the mouth with food, and tries to speed up swallowing. Kindly imagine the risk involved.

END: PG3/62

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