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Original poster

I had a very frightening experience with my charge this evening :(

34 replies

thelittleElf · 09/01/2008 20:00

We were on our way home from an afterschool activity, and she (6) was sat in the back of my car eating a mint imperial.
Anyway, for some reason i looked back at her in my rear view mirror, and saw her slumped forward clutching her throat . She was chocking on that dam sweet!!

So i VERY quickly slammed on the brakes, put hazards on and literally threw myself into the back of the car to help her. She was starting to get floppy ,but thankfully after a few swift slaps (and yes i know your not meant to do this anymore, but i panicked BIG TIME), the sweet dislodged.

I can't remember the last time i've ever been that scared , and all she said afterwards was, "you said the 'S' word" whoops!!

Thank goodness i did look back

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brimfull · 10/01/2008 23:41

meant to read-

threw it in the air and caught it in her mouth

brimfull · 10/01/2008 23:39

thank god she's ok elf-well done

I had to do the heimlich on my dd on her 13th birthday.

She threw a starburst sweet in the air and started choking on it ,all her friends thought she was joking until she started going a funny colour and droopy.

She still wanted to eat the sweet when it shot out of her mouth

very scary

Original poster
thelittleElf · 10/01/2008 23:25

Its so scary isn't it!

I'm super paronoid about spaghetti, and even now i break it up into pieces before cooking it

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Scramble · 10/01/2008 23:00

This happened to me as a nanny aged 17, youngest choked on his dinner. I didn't realise I ask if he was OK he nodded but was going blue, swiflty over my knee and slapped his back, he coughed then sat up and finshed his dinner.

DD has choked on her tortellini at least 3 times, she was fine if I cut them all in half but if she got a whole one she choked.

Original poster
thelittleElf · 10/01/2008 22:53

The last time i was that scared was when i had to resusitate a baby at a nursery i was working at, who stopped breathing in his cot...never want to have to repeat that ever again in my life

OP posts:
edam · 10/01/2008 22:47

Oh Elf, that's so scary. Well done.

Can't believe she wanted another mint today!

Jackstini · 10/01/2008 22:40

Wow well done Elf - my heart was in my mouth for you reading that.
3littlefrogs - must have been awful for you - can't imagine

Original poster
thelittleElf · 10/01/2008 22:32

Well thankfully i hadn't bruised her, but she did ask me if she could have one of those sweets after i collected her from school today!
Anyone think this child has a very short memory .

OP posts:
ROSEgarden · 10/01/2008 11:45

god, how fortunate you looked back(and i was taught the slaps only last eyar on my first aid course??) anyway, i have and will never give dd anything to eat in the car if i or ant=yone is not in the back with her for that reason..just confirms it to me now!, well done you!

southernbelle77 · 10/01/2008 09:48

Goodness me how scary. That has made me think about giving anyone food in the car from now on.
DD was choking one night in bed (on some phlegm sp?) and I could not remember what to do! I ended up just putting her face down over my legs and slapping her on the back until it disloged.
Well done for doing what you did and saving her life.

speak2deb · 09/01/2008 21:20

Hi Hecate. I think we crossed our posts. Your post was very clear.

madrose · 09/01/2008 21:18

Sorry I meant to say - well done, you did brilliently.

madrose · 09/01/2008 21:17

My DD once choked on an apricot in a shop, Instinct just took over, I threw her over over my knee so her head was down and hit her back - it came out. My friend was amazed how calm I was - and I was whilst dealing with it, but once it was sorted I then started to cry and shake.

My biggest fear is choking, when I was 9 I saw a friend choke on a marble and the lack of oxygen caused so much brain damage.

I really try and get her to eat sitting down down now.

Original poster
thelittleElf · 09/01/2008 21:03

I was told by a friend a while ago, that you weren't meant to hit on the back anymore, but can't remember what reason she gave now?

It worked for me though, thank god!!

OP posts:
NAB3wishesfor2008 · 09/01/2008 20:57

I have often wondered if I have been a bit over protective about not letting my kids eat in the car but stories like this make me realise you can't be too careful.

WELL DONE for saving her. Hope you are ALL okay now.

BTW What did you mean about not meant to slap them any more>

Flllightattendant · 09/01/2008 20:44

Thanks, need to do a course I think!

Hecate · 09/01/2008 20:40

You are supposed to slap between the shoulder blades, speak2deb.

I think I ran my post together so it wasn't clear!

bend them forward to see if it comes out,

if it doesn't, (come out, I mean) you slap them on the back, between the shoulder blades

and if the object is still stuck there, do the Heimlich.

And then call an ambulance if it's still stuck.

sallystrawberry · 09/01/2008 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sallystrawberry · 09/01/2008 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

speak2deb · 09/01/2008 20:28

I didn't realise you weren't supposed to slap blockages out. I do that all the time when my dd when gets stuff stuck in her throat.

What are you supposed to do?

Hecate · 09/01/2008 20:26

I think you are supposed to bend them forward to see if it comes out, if it doesn't, slap them on the back, between the shoulder blades and if the object is still stuck there, do the Heimlich. And then call an ambulance if it's still stuck.

And don't you put a baby upside down over your knee and hit them between the shoulders?

Original poster
thelittleElf · 09/01/2008 20:26

I hit her towards the top of her back and it was as hard as my shaking hands would allow me . I just hope i haven't bruised her .

My first aid isn't due for renewal yet, but i'm seriously considering doing a refresher course because i panicked.

OP posts:
moljam · 09/01/2008 20:25

well done thelittleElf!i cant imagine the panic!i had little boy choking on chalk before,you dont have time to think your instincts kick in.you saved her life-well done you!

Flllightattendant · 09/01/2008 20:19

Oh golly, my worst fear almost...how do you do it, though? I choked on one of those marble sized sweets when I was three, mum stuck her finger in and got it out, but you aren't meant to do that, are you?

Where and how hard do you hit?

KatyMac · 09/01/2008 20:16

Poor you - that is so much worse

I choked on a sweet in the theatre when I was about 4, my nana dragged me to the aisle grabbed me by the ankle & turned me upsidedown (nearly based my head in)-I survived & it doesn't matter how you did it your charge is OK.

It makes that 1st Aid seems so much more than a piece of paper doesn't it

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