Asphyxia Can Be Fatal, Beware of the Causes

Asphyxia occurs when a person has difficulty breathing, so that oxygen intake to the body decreases. Not infrequently, asphyxia is fatal and causes death. Given the risk of asphyxia, this condition cannot be considered trivial. Recognizing the cause of asphyxia is important to prevent it from happening. Some causes of asphyxia include:

• Choking

Choking can cause obstruction of the airways such as pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi so asphyxia occurs. In infants, asphyxia may occur because the baby chokes on liquids, such as milk or fluids that vomited. In addition, babies and children often put something in their mouths that allow them to choke. Supervise the child well so that the child does not put things that are nearby such as coins, marbles, or food with large sizes in his mouth. If children under 5 years old, do not give stew food that is still hard, also avoid giving snacks that might make him choke, like popcorn or chewy candy to him. If you want to give him fruit, make sure that you cut it into small pieces so the child doesn't choke.

• Inhalation of smoke or chemicals

Burning smoke that is inhaled can cause a person experiencing asphyxia, and even fatal risk. This is related to the production of carbon dioxide from combustion which can erode the surrounding oxygen layer, so that the oxygen needed by the body is insufficient. In addition to carbon dioxide, other chemicals in smoke can also cause inflammatory processes, which can even damage the respiratory tract and cause asphyxia, including sulfur dioxide, ammonia, HCl, and chlorine.

• Smothered

If the nose and mouth are covered by objects or certain body parts, then asphyxia may occur. This often happens in many criminal cases. Whereas in infants or children, asphyxia due to bruising can occur especially in infants / children who are still sleeping together with parents due to crushed pillows or arms of parents while sleeping, so that it can cause the child to have difficulty breathing and suffocation. In addition, consider also the use of mattresses and beds. Make sure the mattress that is used has a flat surface and there is no gap between the mattress and the bed, to prevent the baby / child accidentally squeezed.

• Suffocate

Choking intentionally or not is one of the causes of asphyxia. In children, strangulation cases can occur accidentally because of things in the neighborhood. If your home has dangling window curtains, it is recommended to replace them with safer curtains or keep the straps out of the reach of children. Because, children can just play the rope around the neck and choke accidentally. So, keep the child away from curtain straps, cables, belts, or anything that might cause the child to accidentally strangle.

Apart from some of the above conditions, asphyxia can also be caused by certain medical conditions. Medical conditions that can cause a person to experience asphyxia include severe allergic reactions in the form of anaphylaxis, neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, and tumor disease. Asphyxia in children or adults needs to be aware of. Immediately get rid of objects that can interfere with breathing or improve body position to get oxygen better, and visit the nearest emergency department or doctor.