Something scary happened last week.
It left me shaken.
I didn’t plan on blogging about it. I didn’t know if I could.
But all week, I’ve wondered if my story could save a child’s life.
A child like mine.
My toddler nearly choked to death at a restaurant.
Now, I joked when I wrote a letter to Mr. Heimlich. And Lord knows, we’ve had our fair share of THAT family moments, but what I’m going to tell you is not funny and I cannot make light of it.
I joined my parents for an impromptu lunch with my toddler in tow. It was at my favorite Mexican food place, so I couldn’t exactly turn the offer down.
My parents and I were talking politics and my girl was next to me in a high chair. My Dad noticed she had something in her mouth and said, “What is that?”
I saw the empty candy wrapper on the edge of the table and I remembered seeing her tuck a peppermint into her pocket from the candy bowl at the entrance of the restaurant.
I meant to get it from her.
But I got busy.
Once I saw the candy in her mouth, I held out my hand, but before I could tell her to spit, she swallowed the hard mint.
And she choked.
I patted her back briskly.
The gagging and gasping continued. I picked her up.
I pounded harder and looked to my parents for help.
They jumped up and came around the table.
At this point, my toddler was still pink, but she struggled to breath.
The candy was still lodged and my daughter was losing the battle of her life.
I tried again.
And again.
My Dad grabbed her and we ran towards the bathroom. He picked her up and turned her upside down.
Still nothing.
My Mom stuck her hand down my baby’s throat. So, did I.
Again, nothing.
At this point, I am praying. Hard. “Jesus, please help my baby.”
She is still panting/breathing and we determined that the candy was lodged in her windpipe and although it wasn’t a total obstruction, if it shifted to cover her complete airway, we would have only seconds…..
Another minute passed and I was at a complete loss. We tried everything.
I will never forget the pleading look in my child’s eyes. She was asking for help. She clawed at me while she made pathetic noises. I felt so helpless.
I remembered there was a doctor’s office in the same shopping strip and I told my parents that’s where I was headed. I wanted them to call 911 (I still cannot believe the restaurant didn’t offer to do this).
But just before I ran out the door, my Dad gave her one more hard thrust on the back and she vomited on the floor.
I’ve never been so happy to see my child throw up in public! We took her into the bathroom checked her out and wiped her face.
Her demeanor, breathing, instantly changed and everything was completely normal. As a matter of fact, she was giddy with bright eyes.
I can’t help but think she was just so happy to be alive.
I learned some very important lessons from this ordeal (I talked with my friend Karen a nurse, and replayed my actions):
1. DO NOT let babies or toddlers have hard candy.
2. DO NOT assume someone will help you.
3. DO TRY The Heimlich Maneuver.
4. DO GIVE hard pats on the back.
5. DO CALL 911 immediately.
6. DO NOT wait. Ask if there is a medical person nearby. Make a scene.
7. DO NOT allow your kids to eat in the car. Choking is silent.
8. DO LOVE on your babies. Because life is precious.
Please visit, the following link for step-by-step guidelines for choking children. I’ve memorized it.
Once I got home, I tucked my exhausted baby in her bed and collapsed into a tearful pile. I twittered the story while my hands were still shaking. I think I just needed good thoughts and prayers sent my way.
9. DON’T THINK it can’t happen to you.
“He will give his angels charge over you to guard you in all His ways,” Psalm 91:11
The story makes me shake just reading it. Just the other day, my Girlie unearthed a cough drop from who-knows-where, and unwrapped it & handed it to me – thank goodness she handed it to me!!!
Thanks for sharing this. This can and will save a life of a child somewhere down the road.
Oh my heavens – it is SO frightening, I know!! My oldest nearly choked to death on a pickle slice at Subway. She didn’t chew it right and it lodged in there enough that it completely blocked her breathing. It all just happens so fast, doesn’t it?
I’m glad your girlie is ok.
Thank you so much for sharing something that I know had to be difficult to recount. The Heimlich would have been the first thing I would have tried, too, so thanks for letting other parents know what to do in situations like this.
I am so happy to hear that your little one was okay. That is such a blessing!
Oh truely scarey! What a blessing it is that God was with you through the whole ordeal! I had to perform that one a child a preschool once- he choked on a piece of pizza. I could not imagine having to go through it with my own child!!
thank you God for providing Angels to watch over us!
Your reaction was great! I’m so glad that she is alright. And that your parents helped you. I can’t believe either that the restaurant didn’t offer to call.
Seriously, my heart stopped just reading it… how truly scary. We had an incident, though not as scary with my toddler and a tortilla chip one night at dinner. She choked on it and thankfully after a few heimlich thrusts my husband was able to get it out, but she was coughing and crying so hard it sent her into an asthma attack, we then had to quickly go get her nebulizer and start her treatment. She had broken blood vessels all around her eyes from how hard she was coughing… she fell asleep in his arms while he gave her the treatment b/c the whole event was so exhausting. I remember all night I felt completely shaken. How truly thankful I am for God’s angels watching over us at times like those, I can truly feel His presence and cling to Him when I let fear take me down the path of “what if”
Thank you so much for sharing this! I cannot imagine what you were going through in those moments. My babies were premature and we had some very scary times with them. It is a great reminder about the preciousness of life, of our children’s lives.
oh my gosh!!! Bless your hearts!!! I can only imagine the terror you felt!
Wow, I had goosebumps the entire time I was reading this. My almost 8 month old had a sore throat last week and started choking on foods that she was eating before with no problems. I had several panicky moments with her.
I am so glad your girl is ok. Thanks for sharing and spreading the word on this. It is so easy to get distracted and not notice something going into those little mouths.
What a scary experience. Thank you for sharing your story, you may never know it, but IT WILL save another child’s life.
I so know this one 91:11..and many times have been thankful for it!
Oh Kristen. Oh Oh Oh.
Praise God that He heard those frantic prayers and saw fit to make your child throw the candy up. I imagine that after she went to bed, you fell apart? God saw that too and was there holding you.
He is SO good, isn’t He.
Praising God with you today.
Jennifer
Oh. Oh. Oh.
Praising God with you for his protection.
My son once faked choking. I jerked him out of his booster seat (he was a preschooler at the time) and began giving him the Heimlich maneuver. Quickly changed his mind about that little act. Nearly scared me to death and it wasn’t even a real incident like yours!!!
Thank you for sharing… you may never know how many children are saved because you were willing to tell this story and provide this information!
Blessings!
This is so scary. And I truly am glad you blogged about it. We all need these reminders.
I am glad your little one is okay. Have Mom and grandparents recovered though?
I remember you tweeting this last week, and I thanked God that all turned out okay, but could barely stand to think about it.
I made myself read this post and read the link of instructions, even though it scares me so, I know I need to be prepared.
I am so glad that your daughter is fine.
there are no words for this. it is a mother’s worst nightmare. i’m really glad you have the courage to share your story because maybe by doing so, you will save the life of another child. i’m so thankful that your daughter is ok.
good for you for finding the information you need.
i can’t believe no one helped you. that is disgusting.
peace and love,
kate
katenowakistan at gmail dot com
First of all – I am SO glad that she is okay!
I recall one time when I was working fast food in high school. An old lady started choking, and my supervisor (in his early 20’s) said, “I think she is choking..” almost casually even! I remember quickly telling him to do something and him staring at me like an idiot (excuse me, but well, he did!) so I ran to the phone and dialed 911.
I had been taught the Heimlich in health class, but I was only 16 or 17 and wasn’t brave enough to try it – I do still wish I had been but at least I did SOMETHING while everyone around me stood and stared!
Thankfully, as I was on the phone with 911, someone from another table came over and helped her and she was able to cough it up (it was a hot dog by the way – major offenders ya know.) The medics still came anyway to check on her and then they left and everyone went back to their business.
I remember that changing the way I looked at my supervisor a little from that day on – he was so unaffected by the whole thing.
I also remember and still think to this day – that I wish we or one of the people at the table had made a bigger deal out of it. I think nobody wanted to shout any false alarms or panic everyone. But if one of us employees or one of her friends had hollered “she’s choking! Does anyone know the Heimlich?” – maybe someone on the other side of the restaurant (which was unaware of the whole event until it was over) might have been able to help her immediately. If I were in that situation again, where someone at my table or the next was choking – you bet I’d make a scene this time!
So all that to say: you’re right – don’t assume everyone is going to rush to your aid, and don’t be afraid to get loud about it. While someone is choking is not the time to be timid or shy!
And for what it’s worth – I don’t always make the best parenting decisions either. My children, including my almost three year old son are allowed to eat the peppermints at Sonic. And I hear that my son was literally choking on a grape in childcare a couple weeks ago (at the show that we were in while I was on stage) and was fortunately able to cough it up with a few pats on the back. I just keep praying that Jesus will keep protecting my babies!
I saw your tweets last week when it happened. I was thankful for God’s protection then and now. What a serious and scary ordeal for all of you.
Wow! That is so scary. Our daughter choked once on bread. I was so scared I yelled for my husband. I panicked! All the training in the world couldn’t have prepared me for it, cause I completely forgot it and froze. She is ok now, but something I’ll never forget.
I’m so glad she is ok – hopefully you and grandparents will recover soon enough as well.
I’m so sorry, Kristen. I know how scary that is. The Tongginator had lots of oral-motor issues when we first adopted her, so we had to be VERY careful. Even still, we experienced a few choking scares. It is NOT one I’d ever like to repeat. I’m glad your baby is okay.
I have only had one of my kids (so far) have a bad choking episode and I wasn’t even there. My husband was home with the kids and fortunately his mom was there – and she saved my little guy. I am still so grateful to her. I am so grateful for your sweet little angel making it. It is a scary thing and we do need to take advice seriously. He choked on a marble, you can bet that every little small toy in our home was out in the garbage the minute I got home. And my sweet girls that want to play with Polly Pockets and mom won’t let them because they are a choking hazard – well, I think they’ll get over it – eventually.
So glad all is well!
Thank you for sharing this. It truly could save a life! I choked on an apple “smile” in kindergarted and my teacher performed The Heimlich.
Oh! I am sooo glad that your daughter is ok! Choking is so scary. My daughter (14 mos) has picked up pieces of CLEAR plastic and gotten them lodged far back in the roof of her mouth. Then she started gagging, uncontrollably. I remember praying the same “Jesus help me help my baby!” prayers. Thank God He listens!
Thank you for the reminder of child safety. Again, I am so glad that she is ok!
Holy mackeral, that brought tears to my eyes. I cannot even imagine. I STILL don’t give my 8 year old hard candy. She thinks I’m crazy, but what if…
Thank you for sharing!
That must have been absolutely terrifying. I am so glad you knew what to do.
It is SOOOO frightening when a child is choking. I can’t imagine how stressful and scary that was for you and her!
So thankful that it all turned out OK.
And thanks for the link!
When my daughter was still crawling, she came over to me with a complete look of panic on her face. I had no idea what was wrong, but she grabbed me, and her eyes pleaded with me.
As she changed color, I realized she wasn’t breathing and flung her upside down and pounded on her back until she threw up all over me and the floor.
I was so shaken up and went through her vomit to see what she had been choking on. It was a tiny piece of plastic from a baby bottle insert she had found in the carseat of a friend’s baby.
It took me the longest time to stop thinking about what might have happened if she hadn’t crawled to me and I had just kept sorting baby clothes.
Kristen, I am so glad that she is okay. Praise God for that and thank you for bringing this to everyone’s attention.
My son nearly died because he accidentally hung himself on our swingset. It was a horrific experience and I wanted to just forget about it for so long but then God made me realize that if our story could save the life of just one child then it was worth sharing. I’ve blogged about it a few times and I pray that others see the dangers of normal every day things that we take for granted as being safe.
You are so right… it can and will happen to anyone. We can’t live in fear but we have to be aware.
Thank you so much for this thought provoking post.
Typing with tears. So glad she’s okay.
My daugher was probably a little over a yr old and I gave her a biter biscuit to chew on, well when it gets soft it breaks! It was lodging Thankfully in her throat. She coughed until she stopped coughing and the veins under her eyes really started to show. By the time we had called 911 I scooped it out with my finger. We have discovered that she chokes easily. People are all the time telling me to give her things and that she will not choke, I let it go in one ear and out the other.
THANK you so much for sharing this. I am so glad your little girl is ok. I think we don’t think it will happen to us. But, I have not forgotten the look on her face and she’s now 19 months old…still eating very small bites.
I’m so glad your precious girl is okay. Thank you for sharing and for the reminder that we can’t take anything for granted.
Oh my gosh. That put tears in my eyes. Even as a police officer, I can not imagen how it would be to see a child’s life slipping through your hands….and your own child at that. I am SO thankful that your parents were right there with you and I am furious NO ONE helped you. I can not believe no one came over and offered to help or call 911 for you. That really disappoints me today. But I am so glad all is well. Hugs to both of you, big hugs. Thanks for helping the rest of us.
I am so glad she is okay, hugs to you and your little one! The idea of this scares me half to death. I know CPR and the heimlich, I just worry that I won’t be able to THINK!
I’m crying after reading your story and the others of fellow commenters. How absolutely terrifying, I’m so thankful that she is okay and that you posted this – it will save someone else’s life someday.
Oh man…so scary. SO glad all ended well. What a brave little girl…and mama. Thanks for sharing the information. I don’t know if I would have thought of all of that in the moment. Good to know!
Thank you, God, that she’s OK. This happened to my 4th child in the car after picking the older ones up from school. He was 4 at the time. Also a peppermint, not sure where he found it. We had to pull off the road and my 8 yr old daughter was on the cell phone with her dad who was on the phone with 911 as I was in the grass with my little boy trying to dislodge that candy. The one thing I remember is my hubby saying, “DON’T give up! Keep trying!” and finally, finally it worked! There’s nothing scarier than having your child’s life literally in your hands.
So glad your baby girl is all right.
I can’t even imagine how hard that was to watch! I would have had a heart attack! I am SO thankful she’s okay!
Thanks for the reminder about being more careful and more loving!
I already knew this had happened and I still teared up reading this. I’m so glad she’s ok.
I’m teary after reading this! Thanks for sharing – you might save another child’s life by reminding us what to do!
Tears in my eyes. Just a few months ago my mother in law gave my then 19 month old a peppermint at a restaurant and I kinda freaked out. I made him spit it out immediately and then later tried to explain to her why I freaked out. Her response was that it’s ok, she would just do it again. We are not speaking much now, but his safety is way more important than her being happy with me. I am so sorry you went through that moment that we all fear. My prayers are with you.
I am so glad you did share this. You made me cry, but it’s so important for people to be reminded. Praise the Lord that everything turned out OK.
We never think IT will happen to us. Thanks for the reminder. I can only imagine how hard it was to put into words. You are truly lucky.
I was crying just trying to read this story! I can’t even imagine how scared you must have been or how helpless you felt! Thank God he heard your desperate cries and answered quickly! Thank God!
Thank you so much for posting this. The same thing happened to my grandson a few months ago and we didn’t have a clue what to do other than call 911 while I frantically did all the things we have since learned you are NOT supposed to do!
Hard to believe the restaurant didn’t offer any help, but thank God your baby is okay!!!
I am so glad that you posted this. You just never know who might be saved because of it.
I rejoice with you that your daughter is safe.
Oh, Kristen. I praise God that you had a happy ending. Thank you for putting the word out there.
A great ending to a very scary story. I had a co-worker who choked the other day on a carrot in our office and it took 2 different people to help dislodge the carrot. Very scary.
God is good.
Thanks for sharing this. Breathless again. :-S
Glad it worked out you had a good lesson to teach without completely losing your battle.
thanks for sharing this – i'm BIG on "that will never happen to me"
you have changed me & i feel a little more smarter now reading this & going to the other sides.
thanks for sharing this scary story & sorry that it had happen, but glad she & you are ok.
i’ve been following your blog a bit. you’re a great, witty writer and it’s obvious you love your family. so glad your little girl is o.k. i choked once as a little girl and couldn’t breathe and it was the scariest thing. fortunately, my parents acted appropriately as you did and all was well. thanks for sharing!……..Lynlee
I can’t even begin to imagine. I cried reading it so I can’t imagine living it. So thankful everything is okay and thank you for sharing this with us. We can never be reminded enough when it comes to the safety of our little ones.
Definitely a frightening experience!!
this happened to me with my oldest.. not a moment I care to relive!
Praise God your toddler is ok!
Oh my goodness how terrifying! A couple of years ago, the day after Thanksgiving, we were having pizza and my son started choking on a pepperoni. My husband and mother in law just sat there stunned. Another important thing is to try and stay calm. I kept my wits about me and knew exactly what to do. Thanks for posting this. I’m glad everything turned out alright. Praise God!
So glad she is okay! This post made me cry. I cannot imagine going through something like this! Thank you for reminding all of us what the appropriate steps are for helping a choking child! You did a great job… I hope if I were in the same situation I would be able to remain collected enough to do the right thing!
So glad to hear that she is OK! That indeed is a fear here, because my youngest chokes easily. Nothing is worse than the sound they make when they are choking! HUGS & Prayers!
My stomach is in knots just reading this story. Praise God that He saved your baby. How frightening for all of you.
I am so thankful for you that the outcome was good. My son used to choke on regular food like that all the time — and oh my Lord, it was frightful.
Hugs from Oregon
I’m so sorry you had to go through that. My sister choked at a restaurant a few years ago and still gets visibly angry when she tells the story about how no one she was with and no one with the restaurant did anything to help. She finally made enough commotion to get the attention of another diner who did the Heimlich manuever and saved her life. People she was with and the waitstaff were trying to “shush” her. Thanks for posting the tips.
Oh my. I’ve had some very scary moments, but none that have gone this far.
I’m so glad she’s okay.
God Bless y’all honey.
Thank G-d she is OK and you all knew what to do! How very scary. I hope sharing your experience might save someone else in the future. Give that precious girl a hug from us.
I’m teary rightnow remembering my daughter choking on a candy at CVS, and yes, I know exactly what you mean about beingheppy to see them vomit! Thank God she is ok
Thank heavens she’s ok. I definitely would have made a big noisy scene – you never know if there’s a doctor at a nearby table.
God bless – sorry you were so shaken.
How Scary!
When my 2nd was little he almost drowned. I was there…there were people around….we took precautions…we took it for granted.
You are right. I will never forget the look in his little eyes, as he bobbed in the water not being able to breath. He wanted help, but couldn’t tell me. Thank the Good Lord I saw him and jumped in.
Kiss your babies and hold them tight!!
THat’s so scary! My son choked on liquid vitamins of all things and stopped breathing. He was only two weeks old. I never expected to be doing recue breathing on my new born.
I’m sure you hugged that little angel tighter after that. So scary. I’m glad she’s ok.
Thank god she is ok. I 2nd guessed blogging about when I had to do cpr on my 3 wk old daughter I am glad I did though. I am glad you blogged about this terrible event if it helped just one person. I think everyone should take a cpr/first aid class……. especially parents.
Thanks for posting this this has to be the single most terrifying feeling in the world
big hugs to you and your babies
How terrifying! While at a restaurant on the beach this summer, a child began choking at the next table to ours. The father did the Heimlich and it resolved the problem quickly, but it was very, very scary. I cannot imagine this happening to one of my kids. Thank you for posting about this and giving all of us a reminder. I am so glad your precious girl is OK.
Thank God she’s ok. And that you’re ok, too.
I’ve been certified in CPR/First Aid for many years. The FIRST thing you learn in those classes? You will more likely than not use those skills to save the life of someone you know and love, not some stranger on the street.
The Red Cross always has classes; visit their site for local classes near you. And, if you don’t see one scheduled near you, get a bunch of your friends together and they’ll usually come to you at your location for a group class.
Glad, glad, glad all turned out ok.
What a blessing that your baby is OKAY and that you were with your parents! The same thing happened to my daughter with a lifesaver when she was a toddler. She was strapped into her 5 point harness and I was driving and had to unbuckle her and it felt like it took my forever. I did the heimlich, or my version of it, and she threw up too. Lifesavers were made to prevent choking, but I have a rule that I must bite in half ALL hard candy, even for our 7 year olds! It’s just too scary. Fireballs are very dangerous, as are gobstoppers, even for older children. Thank you for this reminder that life is a GIFT!!!
Oh, I have tears in my eyes reading this. I am so very thankful that your daughter is okay.
Oh my! So scary!!! Praising God with you that she is ok.
Choking up and tears in my eyes as I just read the What you need to know list. Thank you for sharing your story. We all needed to read this.
Shaking and trembling while reading this!! PTL that your angel is ok!!
My son crammed too much BREAD in his mouth and started to choke! I’ve NEVER been so scared and beside myself.
And I witnessed my friend doing the hard back pat on her nephew who was choking on a chip at her dinner table!
SCARY STUFF!!
Thanks for sharing and for the reminder, b/c my little guys LOVE to get into Daddy’s candy. One of my worst nightmares!
I’m SO THANKFUL that your little bit is ok!
heather
OH MY GOSH!! Oh thank you so much for sharing this with us. Especially the link for the Choking What to Do. I printed it out. I didn’t realize you could do the Heimlich on a toddler. This is scary, but it is very important that you shared this with us, because it will save some childs life.
Praise the Lord she is okay.
We had a similar scary experience at a restaurant when my 4 year old nearly died choking on a corn chip. My husband was FINALLY able to save him with the Heimlich maneuver/back blows/turning him upside down.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add the following warning to your list on this post: CHOKING IS USUALLY SILENT!!! Do NOT feed your children in the car while you are driving!!! They could silently choke to death and you wouldn’t even know it until you got to your destination. You would just think they were sleeping!!
We used to always let the kids eat in the car – even gooey chokey bean burritos from taco bell, because with four kids we are always running from activity to errands. Now I never, ever let my two youngest eat unsupervised. I also won’t hire teenage untrained babysitters anymore, because if my son’s nasty choking incident (which even my lifeguard trained husband was barely able to resolve, after a lot of time) had occurred with a random teenager who didn’t know exactly what to do, my son would have died.
Be so careful with those precious babies!!!
That is SO SCARY!!! I’m so glad she’s alright now!
I once spotted a child choking on a snapple bottle top at the airport. Her father had let her have the drink and she stuck the top behind her teeth in her mouth. That Dad was talking to someone and didn’t notice his little girl. I wasn’t a mom yet but I knew that girl was in danger I stepped on 20 peoples feet to run across that waiting isle and grab that guys attention. He was able to pop it out right away but I am telling you she was choking right there at his feet. I am so sorry you felt that scared. I have had a really scarey mom moment like that too and it took me literally days to recover.
Praising the Lord that your little girl is just fine! I did the same sort of thing, only with a 14 month old and a peanut. She ended up having to have surgery to have the peanut removed from her lung. I blogged about it: http://cheri-beri.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-worst-parenting-mistake-ever.html
Just writing the blog 9 1/2 years later made me feel horribly guilty all over again. What if she would have died? What if I would have been robbed of the last 9 1/2 years?? Then God whispered on my heart, “I have plans for her. Nothing that day was going to kill her. I was with her.” I realize many people aren’t as blessed as we are. But for some reason, my child was able to survive her feeble minded mother that day.
This happened to ME when I was in Junior HIgh…I was the one who choked on hard candy and thankfully, my mom had just gotten a job with the school district and had to take CPR training for her job…She had literally learned the heimlich- however you spell it- just a few days before and saved my life… She beat on my back and the candy went flying…
I’m so glad you shared this story…a great reminder for all of us…
OMG how scary! I’m so glad she’s okay!!! I’ve always been terrified of this happening and always watch my kids close when they eat. It’s great to have the reminder (and I can’t believe the restaurant didn’t do anything!!!).
Oh wow! How scary! Thanks for sharing! I’ve also been nervous about my girls choking on food. I’m so glad your story had a great ending.
Brings back memories – that helpless panic. I too saved a child by using the Heimlich. She was eating canned peaches, a whole wedge slid down her throat. The Heimlich worked the second attempt – the peach flew out of her mouth. Thank God. I still cannot think of it without feeling shaken. I am glad our stories have happy endings.
OMG your story made me, mad, sad, scared, cry!!! I’ve had a toddler choke before, but luckily we dislodged it quickly.
You’ve given a lot of great advice here! and I’m glad everything turned out ok.
~Tidymom
I’m glad she’s okay. Those situations are terrifying!
~Luke
I am nearly breathless reading this. Just two weeks ago my hubby and I were discussing whether or not our 3 year old was fine eating a starlight mint his grandmother gave him. We thought he does really well with chewing and all and so we let him eat it. And he was hooked.
I am throwing the bag granny sent home with him away right now.
omg, i about had tears in my eyes as i was reading this. I am sooooooooo glad you were able to get it out! It’s definitely something everybody might think will never happen to them, but it does and it can.
thanks for sharing
=0D
Poor girl, I am so glad you were on your toes and thinking fast! Thank goodness she was o.k.!
I have been in the safety field for a number of years and used to be a Branch Manager for St. John Ambulance. I know how incredibly scary this can be. But at least one person in my house (me, hubby or my son now that he is over 18) is always licenced in FirstAid at all times! We all go and do our training (every two years for CPR/3 for the remainder) Thank the lord she is fine and you are also.
I am SO SO SO glad that this ended well! Many children die from choking. Great FAST thinking!
I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I am so glad everything turned out ok. I had something similar when my youngest son (now 25) was just 1 yr old and to this day I know that fear that grabs your heart when you are going through that horrible moment.
Hugs to you, your little one and your parents.
Ok, reading this crying!
So glad she is ok!! Thank you Lord.
I used to be a teacher for the Red Cross, so I feel like I should just gently remind all you moms that if your child can cough, they can breathe, at least a little, which is a LOT better than not at all.
If a child is coughing or has something only blocking part of their airway, whacking them on the back may just lodge it farther in there, doing more damage. You have to be very careful when something is only partly blocking the airway, and hitting the child is not going to help. Do the heimlich, either infant or child version, and call 911.
When you hear your child start to chocke, it is an instinct most parents have to start whacking away at their child’s back. DONT! It could do more damage. Assess the situation and start the heimlich.
I am so sorry that happened to you! Thank God everything turned out okay. Try and have a restful weekend after the week’s “events”.
This really hit me today. Prayers & good thoughts definitely coming your way. I'm SO glad your story has a happy ending.
It certainly can happen to anyone! My daughter was 2 or 3 when she choked on a peanut M&M…; she was starting to panic and stomping her little feet, by thankfully she coughed it up, thank our precious Lord for sending us his angels to help us when we need it.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I’ve had so many people hand my kids one of those hard candies and we’ve managed to make it a rule that the candy has to be broken up in pieces before they can have it.
It was frightening when they were so little to think of all the ways they could be hurt.
My oldest boy choked on a piece of steak once when he was 3. He didn’t make a sound. I looked at him and his mouth was open and he had a funny look on his face. Thank God I was able to get to him before he choked. Couple of hard pats on the back and out it came. But I will NEVER forget that moment of panic and hopelessness and pleading “Jesus!”.
I’m so glad your little girl is safe.
i had this happen to me with my oldest girl and well its a good thing i do know how to do the himlick thing but well i dont care what it is you could still choke on it but with candy and heard candy for real keep it a way from young kids. also you know peeps candy there some thing else you should not give to young kids thay could even choke on them for that matter old folks can even choke on things like this too my mom use to work in a old floks home and seen some old lady almost choke on one. and after i had that happen to my kid and heard that story abt thatlady thats when i stated to keep all candy away from my children . and well since then i do let my little one have candy but not untell i brake it up in to realy fine pices and well now that i read this my p.t.s. is kicking in and well i better get to bed so i can come out of it.
I am so very sorry this happened to your dear daughter. You will never be the same. Truly. Some that truth is good and some of it isn’t.
I walked through a similar place:
http://gratefulforgrace.blogspot.com/2008/06/he-spared-my-son.html
I thanked God that night and still do. I thank Him for you now.
Thanks for your post. I think it is good for other moms to know it happens to us all. Our guilt is sooo misplaced!
My gosh, I’m tearing up over here…reading this made me feel as though I was in the situation myself. I’m so sorry for your little one, and so glad your Dad was there to help.
That restaurant’s staff needs to be explained that they are to call 911 when someone is seriously choking! Easier to call back and say nevermind than to deal with the repercussions of being too late.
I will definitely be taking extra care when I’m watching little ones!
Sorry about the multiples – my comp went a little wacky 🙂
I’m glad your child is okay. Here’s a grammar tip for you:
Unless you reside in a trailer park or in a broken-down shack in a gator-infested swamp, you don’t love ON your child; you love your child.
I don’t know how I stumbled across this page, but I feel like I have to respond. A friend of mine, lost her child yesterday. He was 23 months old and he choked to death on a slice of canned peaches at daycare. The daycare did everything correct from what we can tell but it wasn’t enough. The peach was just lodged too deep into his airway. It took 24 minutes for the ambulance to get there and by then he had gone so long without oxygen that he was brain dead. They worked on him for 24 hours but he was pronounced dead yesterday. It is so hard because one second he was thi bright shining happy baby, now he’s gone. I have two boys 3 and 4 and I’ve hugged them all day. If you have babies! Kiss them becasue God’s plan isn’t always our plan.
for post 102… sure you can love on your child- you can love a child silently, loving on them is an active display of affection
for post 103, I’m so sorry for your loss!
My daughter choked on a peppermint when she was 6 years old. We were able to get it out with the Heimlich.
I choked on a mint when I was 16! Gave myself the Heimlich successfully, because I was alone. I did it with my fists, but you can also throw yourself over the back of a chair, or even use a seatbelt if you choke in a car.
I watched a friend’s child choke on a little paper ketchup cup at a fast food place- anything can choke a baby! She was able to reach that with her fingers.
Thanks for educating people about choking!!!