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My Child Choked, and This Is How I Knew What to Do
by Sarah Thompson
Updated: Dec. 22, 2020
Originally Published: Aug. 8, 2018
A Cautionary Tale for Parents
As a parent, I can’t stress enough the importance of knowing how to respond in emergencies. If you haven’t taken a CPR/First Aid class recently—or ever—please prioritize it, especially if you have children. If your kids are old enough, bring them along; it’s valuable knowledge for everyone.
I’ve been trained in CPR and First Aid since I was a teenager, and I’ve even taught these courses. Despite my background as a lifeguard and first responder, nothing prepared me for the night my own child choked.
Last night, during dinner at our home, my daughter started to choke. My husband is deployed, and it was just the two of us. The situation escalated quickly; one cough, a high-pitched wheeze, and then silence. Her eyes widened in fear as she clutched her throat—a universal sign of choking.
I leapt across the table, trying to comfort her as she struggled. I urged her to cough, but she shook her head, panic evident in her eyes. I went down on my knees and attempted the Heimlich maneuver designed for children; however, it didn’t work. The feeling of squeezing my child and knowing it wasn’t helping was terrifying.
In a moment of instinct, I lifted her like I would a smaller child and delivered back blows with her head facing downward, resting on my arm. After four firm blows, a few chunks of food finally dislodged. I had to physically intervene to save my little girl’s life.
Choking is a leading cause of unintentional death in young children, according to the New York State Department of Health. In fact, for children under five, food is the most common cause of nonfatal choking. My daughter is 4.5 years old, and even though her food was cut into small pieces, I had no idea that at least one child dies from choking on food every five days in the U.S.
These statistics are now etched into my mind, reinforcing my belief that every parent—or anyone involved with children—should take a CPR and First Aid class. While online courses exist, nothing compares to the real-life experience of performing chest compressions or back blows. I have performed these techniques in my professional life, but the gravity is entirely different when it’s your child.
Despite my calm demeanor during the crisis, I was shaken, more than I ever expected. After the incident, there were tears, lots of cuddling, and checking on her throughout the night. I barely slept, watching her sleep more restlessly than usual. Thankfully, she was fine by morning and likely will be more cautious while eating in the future.
This experience reminds me of the unpredictable nature of parenting. If I hadn’t known what to do, I shudder to think of the outcome. For additional insights on pregnancy and parenting, I recommend checking out the resources available at Nichd.nih.gov, or for more information on home insemination, check out this post on at-home insemination kits.
In conclusion, I urge every parent to find a local CPR and First Aid class and enroll. It could make all the difference in a moment of crisis.
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