The first day of preschool: A fifteen-month old baby choked on an apple

Already on the first day of “return to routine” after the ongoing lockdown period, a 15-month-old baby from one of the communities near Hadera ate an apple, and a piece of it became lodged at the end of her pharynx. After she was unable to remove the apple, the toddler was brought to the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Unit at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, where she was examined by Dr. Dor Maayan, a doctor in the ENT – Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, who extracted the apple from her mouth, taking the toddler out of danger.

“The toddler arrived fully conscious, but had trouble breathing. I immediately noticed a piece of apple stuck in her pharynx, which could have blocked her windpipe at any moment. I unhesitatingly stuck my hand inside and very carefully removed the apple,” said Dr. Maayan.

Dr. Dor Maayan during an examination of a pharynx in the clinic at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center

The toddler was hospitalized for observation in the Pediatrics Department, and released safe and well to her home the next day. Her mother thanked the medical staff and noted that it is important to be careful to cut up fruits and vegetables in the right way for each age, so that incidents like this one will be avoided.

Director of the Pediatrics Department at Hillel Yaffe, Dr. Adi Klein, emphasizes: “During this time, when we are all busy returning to a safe new reality in the shadow of coronavirus, we need to remember that beyond being careful about hygiene, wearing a mask, and social distancing, there are other dangers in the preschools, including choking, falls, and injuries. It is important to maintain awareness, ensure a safe environment, and to suit the type of food and toys to the relevant age groups.”