Hi there! Today, Squeaks and I were planning to enjoy a nice day by going for a hike in the woods. But guess what? Squeaks got the hiccups! Have you ever wondered why hiccups happen? Let me explain it to you in a fun and simple way.
When you get the hiccups, your body is taking in quick little breaths of air. Normally, when you breathe, air moves in and out of your lungs, which are like two small balloons inside your chest. But there’s another important part of your body that helps you breathe: the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle located right below your lungs, at the bottom of your ribcage.
Muscles help you move your body. For example, when you raise your hand, you’re using muscles to move your arm. Similarly, when you breathe, your diaphragm muscle helps your lungs get bigger and smaller as you breathe in and out.
Sometimes, your diaphragm can get a bit twitchy and start spasming. Instead of helping you breathe normally, it makes you take quick little gasps of air. That’s what we call hiccups! There are many things that can start hiccups, like eating too fast or even some medicines. And sometimes, they just happen for no clear reason, like with Squeaks!
Normally, when you breathe, you don’t make any sounds. But when you hiccup, you make a funny “hic!” sound. This sound comes from your vocal folds, which are little flaps inside your throat that help you make sounds when you talk. When you hiccup, the sudden gulp of air makes your vocal folds slap together, creating the “hic!” noise.
Squeaks wanted to know how to stop his hiccups. You might have heard of some strange ways to do this, like having someone scare you. But that doesn’t work very well. Since hiccups are caused by your diaphragm being twitchy, you need to get it moving normally again. One way to do this is by drinking a big glass of water. This can distract your diaphragm and help it stop spasming. However, it doesn’t always work, and sometimes you just have to wait for the hiccups to go away on their own.
Guess what? Squeaks’ hiccups are gone now! Thanks for joining us on SciShow Kids. If you have questions about how your body works or anything else, ask a grownup to help you leave a comment or send us an email at [email protected]. See you next time at the Fort!
Make a Hiccup Experiment: Try to create your own hiccups by drinking a glass of water quickly or eating something spicy. Pay attention to how your body feels when you get the hiccups. Can you feel your diaphragm moving? Share your experience with a friend or family member and see if they can make themselves hiccup too!
Diaphragm Breathing Exercise: Practice deep breathing to understand how your diaphragm works. Lie down on your back and place a small stuffed animal on your belly. Breathe in deeply through your nose and watch the stuffed animal rise as your diaphragm moves. Breathe out slowly through your mouth and watch it fall. Try this a few times and notice how your breathing feels.
Hiccup Sound Challenge: With a friend, take turns making the “hic!” sound. Try to make it louder, softer, faster, or slower. Discuss how the sound is made by your vocal folds and how it feels different from other sounds you make. Can you make other funny sounds using your vocal folds?
