A Wonderleaf question
Why do we get hiccups?
a real page from the book
We get hiccups when the diaphragm, the muscle that helps pull air into the lungs, suddenly jerks. That quick movement drags in a sharp breath, and a small flap near the voice box shuts fast. The trapped air makes the familiar hic sound.
They often start after eating quickly, laughing hard, or swallowing extra air, because those things can bother the nerves near the diaphragm. Breath-holding or sipping water sometimes helps by changing the breathing rhythm or nudging the same nerve pathway.
Wonder words
- diaphragm
- glottis
- nerve
- spasm
Try it out
When hiccups happen, count ten slow breaths together and notice whether the rhythm begins to settle.
Read the whole picture book
Watercolour scenes, straight answers, about three minutes cover to cover.
Open the picture bookKeep wondering
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