Family members reported the baby girl crawled to a plate, took one peeled rambutan, and put it in her mouth. She then turned purple, and her cries weakened. Her mother discovered the incident, quickly patted her back, but the large fruit could not be dislodged.

Doctors at a nearby clinic removed the foreign object, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and intubated the baby before transferring her to Long Thanh Regional General Hospital. She was then transferred to Dong Nai Children's Hospital. Upon arrival, the baby was cyanotic, in a deep coma, with dilated pupils, respiratory failure, unstable circulation, and signs of brain damage from prolonged oxygen deprivation, lasting about 15 minutes.

Doctors initiated therapeutic hypothermia, mechanical ventilation, treatment for cerebral edema, circulatory stabilization, and intensive care. After 5 days, her consciousness improved, pupils recovered, she opened her eyes, recognized family members, and was gradually weaned off the ventilator.

The baby now feeds and eats well, moving normally, with discharge expected in a few days.

Doctors advise parents to keep choking hazards, including objects and food, out of children's reach. If a child shows signs of choking, such as a gagging cough, cyanosis, difficulty breathing, or inability to cough effectively, parents should quickly perform appropriate first aid measures for their age and take the child to the nearest medical facility for prompt emergency treatment.

Rambutan is a commonly grown fruit in Dong Nai. *Phuoc Tuan*

Phuoc Tuan