Calder (16 weeks) has had this really scary thing happen about once a day lately. For no apparent reason, with no real pattern to when it happens he chokes, badly. Like his airway is blocked or he has aspirated water, he is silent and struggling and then he gasps for air. He is terrified after (as am I.) He doesn't spit up excessively, he doesn't have sour breath, he certainly has no eating issues, so I don't *think* its reflux. It has happened when he was laying down and when he is upright.

The one that happened today was pretty bad.

Any ideas? I'm calling the ped on Monday, but in the meantime I'm afraid to sleep.

That sounds scary! Can you access a Nurse Line through your ped's office? I would do that & if I couldn't I would contact your ped's office now if you're concerned about something like this.

I don't have much to help you with but I definitely agree with Pam about trying to contact either a Nurse Line or your ped's office... or both :nod:
:hug99:

That sounds very similar to something that happened with my daughter. These "episodes" were frightening, she would stop breathing and a few times we had to thump her on the back to get her to start breathing again because she was turning blue. They were so violent that we were even referred to a neurologist to see if she was having seizures.

It turns out that the sphincter muscle at the base of the esophagus is sometimes very weak and the diaphragm can involuntarily contract forcing stomach contents into the throat. Julia's diaphragm was contracting so hard that it was forcing the contents to her throat and nasal cavity and it was causing a "vapor lock" so to speak: no air could go in or out because of the vacuum that had been created in her nose and mouth.

I know how frightening these things are...even though my daughter is almost 4, I remember quite vividly. If this is what's happeneing to your son, he'll grow out of it, that's about all there is to do. I think Julia finally outgrew it when she was around 5-6 months. I hope that's all it is...good luck!!

I would be seeing someone about it asap, just incase. I can only imagine how scary it must be :hug99:

I, too, would be calling the dr asap, just to be on the safe side...I hope your baby outgrows it soon, and I hope it's nothing serious :hug99:

Thanks everyone. I will call the Dr first thing Monday morning. The sphincter muscle thing sounds like something the Dr and I already discussed so perhaps it is a matter of him growing out of it but better safe...

Mrs Peace Frog, please let us know how your little one is after surgery. I'll send good thoughts your way.