# Baby chokes while crying?



## bethariel (Apr 26, 2006)

Just want to see if anyone else has had this experience, and is it normal? Occasionally (maybe 4 times in the past 3 weeks) my 3 m.o. will start choking (gagging, coughing, sputtering) in the middle of crying. A few times this has resulted in her vomiting ... which then scares her and makes her cry even harder, choke more ... vicious cycle. She never turns blue, or quits breathing. But so scary!









I called the advise nurse, and she said some babies just cough up phlegm more easily, and therefore choke and vomit.







She said I should just turn her on her side, and don't pound her back (this could cause any blockage to descend lower, rather than come up).

Is this a phase she will grow out of? Is this a result of GER? I never *try* to let her cry, but the result of this has been that the moment the baby raises the slightest whine, I rush to her, hoping to intercept any vigorous cry that could cause another episode.

Is there anything I could do? Could this be a food allergy issue? Any experience with this appreciated.


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

I don't have any experience with a baby doing this, but *I* do this. If I get upset enough, like crying hysterically, I will start choking until I vomit (if I can't calm myself down).


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## HoldensMama (Feb 25, 2007)

If ds gets worked up enough he will start to choke and gag, although he's never vomited. I think that he's choking on his own saliva that builds up while crying and not swallowing. It's quite disturbing, luckily he doesn't get that upset very often. He's now about 4.5 mo and he hasn't done it in a while so maybe it's something they grow out of eventually?


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## *Karen* (Jul 28, 2006)

DS chokes and gags (but doesn't vomit) when he gets really worked up still and he is 11 months. I try to never let it get to that point. Sometimes it happens in the car before I can pull over. It is so sad because it really scares him. Poor babe.


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## bethariel (Apr 26, 2006)

That's really interesting ... dh told me that he remembers as a little kid doing this also. Maybe it runs in the family.







: Thanks for sharing that!


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## bethariel (Apr 26, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Dylan'sMommy* 
DS chokes and gags (but doesn't vomit) when he gets really worked up still and he is 11 months. I try to never let it get to that point. Sometimes it happens in the car before I can pull over. It is so sad because it really scares him. Poor babe.

It happened to us in the car the other day, which really scared both me AND her!! I'm scared of long car trips, especially going on the freeway now, to be in a situation where I can't pull over. I do imagine as she gets bigger, I will relax a little bit. I guess some kids just have an easier choke/gag reflex than others. Thank you all!







I feel a lot better.


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## joelene22 (Jul 28, 2006)

My 12 month old still does this too. It's very sad and scary.

I try to keep him from getting that upset. He has two triggers that are hard to calm him down from - being in the carseat in the dark and being left out when you close the bathroom door to shower. So one of us sits in the back of the car with him if it's dark to try to keep him calm and I have started showering with the door open and the curtain open (I'm cold and there's water on the floor but he's much happier). Keeping him from getting that upset is easier than calming him down when it gets to that point.


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