Book 1, Question 4 · Video
Why Do We Hiccup? Meet Your Twitchy Diaphragm!
Hic! Where does that funny sound come from? A hiccup starts when your diaphragm, a big dome-shaped muscle under your lungs, suddenly twitches. Air rushes in for a super quick breat
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do we hiccup?
The Big Idea
Hic! Hic! Hiccups can pop up out of nowhere! They start with a big muscle under your lungs, called the diaphragm. When it twitches, it sets off a quick chain reaction, And it happens in three steps.
Diaphragm Twitch
Step one: your diaphragm twitches! It's pronounced DY-uh-fram, and it's the muscle that helps you breathe. Sometimes it squeezes suddenly, all by itself. That can happen when you eat too fast, swallow air, laugh really hard, or for no reason at all!
Air Rushes In
Step two: air rushes in! When the diaphragm twitches, it pulls down fast, And air starts rushing into your lungs. It's like your body is trying to take a super quick breath!
Vocal Cords Snap
Step three: your vocal cords snap shut! That sudden burst of air makes the vocal cords in your throat slam closed. And that famous hic sound is the snap of your vocal cords closing!
A Closer Look
Let's look inside your chest! Your two lungs fill up with air, like balloons. Underneath them is your diaphragm, a big dome-shaped muscle. It moves down to help you breathe in, and back up to breathe out. When it twitches, it can start a hiccup!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Babies hiccup a lot, sometimes even before they're born! Their tiny diaphragms are still practicing. Hiccups are totally normal, and they usually stop on their own. Some people hiccup about once every few seconds, but each hiccup is super short.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Next time you, or someone else, gets the hiccups, be a detective! Notice: what were you doing just before? Swallowing quickly? Laughing? Eating? Wonder: what do you think started the diaphragm twitch? Write down your clues, and look for a pattern!
Outro
So a hiccup is just your diaphragm and vocal cords doing a funny little dance. Hic! Remember, Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!