The number one cause of respiratory arrest in infants is:

• A. Foreign body airway obstruction
• B. Airway edema due to allergic reaction
• C. Pneumonia
• D. Sudden infant death syndrome

Answer: (A)

Blockage of the infant airway by a foreign object is the most common cause of respiratory arrest in this age group. Infants have tiny airways and limited ability to cough up or clear objects, so a small item can quickly block ventilation. When airflow is blocked, oxygen delivery drops rapidly, leading to a cessation of effective breathing if the obstruction isn’t relieved promptly. You’ll often see choking on small foods, toys, or other objects, and the situation can deteriorate into respiratory arrest if not addressed quickly. This emphasizes the need to act fast with age-appropriate choking relief, and if the infant stops breathing, to begin CPR with rescue breaths right away. While allergic reactions, pneumonia, or SIDS can affect breathing, they do not typically cause an abrupt, reversible respiratory arrest in the same way an acute airway obstruction does.