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10 month old randomly "choking" on nothing

8 replies

OnNaturesCourse · 29/10/2025 07:23

Never had this with my other children so wondering if anyone else has experience...

My 10 month old has always been a refluxy spit up kind of baby but over the past while he has started to appear to choke on nothing and gag. These episodes start with a cough or two then process into extreme gagging and coughing like he is trying to clear something from his throat. He goes really red and gets very distressed. There is usually sharp intakes of breath with a wheeze when at the end of the gagging stage before it all suddenly stops. It last anywhere from a minute to maybe 4 or 5 minutes. Sometimes a sip of water helps, other times it makes it worse.

I can't put my fingers on any triggers. It happens when sitting up or lying down. Never had a episode during feeding. Happens inside and outside. With me and others. I've stopped using perfumes etc but no difference. There is no foods that seem to make it worse.

I've not managed to catch it on video as it always seems to happen when I don't have my phone (and the last thing that crosses my mind is to go find it at the time) and more scarily it's started happening in the car. I'd like to get it on video as its quite hard to describe to medical professionals who will want to witness it (based off my past experiences with kids coughs etc)

Always passes without much intervention from me, no back thrusts or anything needed but I'm getting concerned it will happen overnight or something when I am not there to monitor.

Should note he's been on and off teething since 3 months old, has 8 teeth already. He is teething but isn't overly drooly at the moment so I don't think it is that as it happens when he is drooly and when he is not.

Does it sound similar to anyone's experiences? What could it be?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
OnNaturesCourse · 30/10/2025 08:43

Bumping

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gentlemum · 31/10/2025 21:42

Sorry I don’t have any experience but noticed you haven’t had any replies. I think I would probably go to the GP with the issue, you’ve described it quite well even without a video of it. There may be an issue he needs to see ENT for to check his throat. I would maybe also keep a diary of the times it happens to keep a record of them like what was happening just before, what environment were you in, what time do day it is.

sellingtrousers · 31/10/2025 21:49

That sounds like reflux and the refluxed material is getting in the airway. It doesn’t take much for a massive reaction. Does your child stop breathing or make funny sounds? They could be getting laryngospasms (also caused by reflux).

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OnNaturesCourse · 01/11/2025 14:28

He makes gagging noises and a bit of a wheeze.

Calling GP on Monday

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SaveMeNow2024 · 01/11/2025 14:39

Had exact same with my son. Initially fobbed off by the gp who said it was possetting. I did manage to get a video and finally was taken seriously. We were referred to ent specialist who gave him ant reflux medication. It helped a bit but not totally. Went back and forth for ages, they were going to put some kind of dye down a tube up his nose or in throat (sorry can't remember, it was 15 yrs ago), it didn't sound pleasant though.
We managed it for a while and in the end he just grew out of it.

OnNaturesCourse · 02/11/2025 20:30

It's so strange, it is like it starts out of no where. I did think it was maybe allergy related but can pin point a trigger.

Thanks for sharing and I'm happy to hear your son grew out of it! Keeping my fingers crossed for that outcome too.

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Amyjjjj · 18/11/2025 04:57

Omg i just found this post looking for the same answers with my 10 month old! She had pretty bad reflux as a newborn but seemed to have grown out of it, but lately she has had a couple of these episodes where shes sitting and she will just randomly choke and i have to pat her back.

OnNaturesCourse · 18/11/2025 12:52

@Amyjjjj hey! It's terrifying, isn't it? My little one thankfully hasn't done it in a few weeks now. But I'm on edge for it.

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