Fatal laryngeal obstruction in a child by a balloon: A case report

Abstract

Choking is a condition caused by inhalation of a foreign. Balloon aspirations are highly fatal and are the number one cause of non-food  related choking deaths in children. We present a case of an 18 months old male child brought to the Department of Forensic Medicine  for postmortem examination with an alleged history of death due to aspiration of the balloon. The deceased was playing with a balloon  and then suddenly started having difficulty in breathing and bluish discoloration of the face. He was immediately rushed to a hospital  where he was declared brought dead. At autopsy, a yellow colored balloon was found completely obstructing the airway. The  application of continuous suction forces to the un-inflated or partially air-filled balloon is considered the most crucial factor in causing  asphyxiation by a rubber balloon. Education of parents, child care providers and preschool teachers along with product labeling  describing hazards must be made a routine to avoid such fatalities.