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Original poster

Had an awful experience tonight

29 replies

Lethal · 23/12/2003 11:49

Dh & I and my parents took ds (3 1/2) to look at the Christmas lights tonight (it's 9.30pm here). While we were driving along in the car, my mother offered ds a lolly but didn't think he would take it, as he doesn't usually eat lollies, but on this occasion he did. It was one of those small, round ones that is hard on the outside and chewy in the middle. DH asked me a couple of times to take the lolly away from him, because he was nervous about him choking. I felt a bit the same way too but was (stupidly) trying not to appear too 'paranoid' about ds in front of my parents.

Anyway all of a sudden ds started making funny sounds, and then he started crying out and gasping for breath. He couldn't even cry properly because he couldn't breathe. It was the worst moment of my life. DH stopped the car in the middle of the road, leapt out & grabbed ds and shouted at me to call an ambulance. Just as I dialled the number, dh said "It's ok I've got it out." When I looked at him he was as white as a ghost.

I just want to tell you all how awful it was and that you can never be too careful with your children. I couldn't stop shaking afterwards and the fear that filled both dh & I was just horrible. My poor parents were so shell-shocked, but at least now they've seen what can happen. My mum, as much as she loves ds, is very laid-back & she thinks that I'm too protective of him at times. DS is safely tucked up in bed now but it was one of those things that happens in a split second & I just thank God he is ok.

OP posts:
GladTidings · 23/12/2003 11:59

How awful for you lethal!

I'm so glad it had a happy outcome though.

whymummy · 23/12/2003 11:59

oh lethal,thank goodness he's ok,is a terrifying experience,hope your mum's ok too,she must be feeling really guilty but those things happen
xx

WiShuaMerryXmas · 23/12/2003 12:01

Oh lethal, it is just so awful isn't it ? You just seem to freeze with fear, I know I did when my Mums dog went for DD. Glad everything is ok now, don't beat yourself up about it.

WSM
xxx

handlemecarefully · 23/12/2003 12:07

Lethal,

You've sent shivers up my spine. Thank god he's okay.....

HappyHollyHulababy · 23/12/2003 12:09

How horrid for you all I hope his okay now and none the worse for it now it is over.

TinselDragon · 23/12/2003 12:15

DS1 did this at around 20 months with some bread once and it is truly awful isn't it? Luckily, like your DH, I could get it out. Glad your DS is fine now.

StarryStressyHead · 23/12/2003 12:25

oh Lethal, how awful for you and ds. So glad he's OK. My ds has loads of lollies. Always brings them home from weekend visits with his mum and I'm always telling him to sit down with them and not race around with them in his mouth. I hate the bloody things.

SnowmAngeliz · 23/12/2003 12:34

Lethal i'm glad he's o.k and hope you're calmed down! I know what you mean about people making you a bit paranoid that you're over protective, your story proves why we always think of the worst thing! Glad it's all o.k now+++++++++++++

jinglesaur · 23/12/2003 12:55

Oh dear, our visitors last weekend have brought a whole bagful of these lollies for the DSs...I'd better warn DH.

Glad your ds is okay lethal, that must have been very scary.

bossybaubles · 23/12/2003 13:17

has anyone taken a kids' first aid course? i think i would know how to stop ds choking if it came to it but this has reminded me i really should go on one of those courses.

lethal, you must be so relieved, thank goodness it turned out ok in the end.

StarryStressyHead · 23/12/2003 13:21

I did a St Johns course organised by our local midwives but that was back in January and I've probably forgotten most of it. I have a poster stuck to the side of dd's wardrobe which gives summary of cpr and ressuc and I glance at it from time to time. I think your natural instincts take over when and if the time comes.

handlemecarefully · 23/12/2003 13:23

Its the heinlich manouevre isn't it? Or failing that hold small child upside whilst vigorously squeezing chest?

Looks like I need first aid training too

bossybaubles · 23/12/2003 13:26

apparently you're not supposed to do the heimlich on a small child and definitely not a baby - i think...

StarryStressyHead · 23/12/2003 13:32

this is a link to Great Ormand Street "Basic Life Support" page:

BasicLifeSupport

RoscoeReindeer · 23/12/2003 13:32

No, you can only do the heimlich on a child over 8 or so. Any younger and you could break ribs etc.

Lamin · 23/12/2003 13:33

Oh lethal that's awful, I really need to take a first aid course too. I have put it on my list of things to do in the New Year.

An awful thing happened to me yesterday too - I locked my DS in my car with the car keys as I was leaving my friends house. It was hideous, he is only 8 months old and he was so scared as the car alarm was going off and he couldn't work out why I couldn't get in to help him.

My friend called the AA but they couldn't get to us for an hour. DS was getting more and more frantic so we ended up smashing the small back window furthest away from him and hooking the keys off the front seat with a broom and coat hanger.

Not as bad as you as other than being terrified and cold I knew he could come to no harm - but a very horrible half hour none the less.

bossybaubles · 23/12/2003 13:34

thank you ssh, i will print those out.

StarryStressyHead · 23/12/2003 13:37

Lamin, you've just reminded me of something. When dd was about 5 months old, she was sitting in her Bumbo watching Baby Mozart. I nipped out to put some rubbish in the bin and the door slammed. We are in a three story house and she was on the middle floor. dh was stuck in traffic, no-one had spare keys and the cats were in the house with her. It was about 25 minutes before dh got home and I raced upstairs and she was just sitting happily watching the dvd.

handlemecarefully · 23/12/2003 13:56

Yes thanks SSH - am also printing these out

nutcracker · 23/12/2003 14:28

From what I can remember you should lie them across your lap and slap their back quite hard. Having said that if I were in that situation I probably wouldn't of remembered a thing. My son had severe breathing difficulties and blue lips a cuople of weeks ago and despite knowing what I should do I just ran around the flat hysterically.

Tinker · 23/12/2003 16:48

Lethal - it is realy scary isn't it? My daughter choked on a whole grape once, thankfully I was in the room when it happned and had just done a First Aid course at work. The thing I did remember, and it sounds simple, is to tell the person to cough first, particularly a child when you can't do very strong manouevres. It worked for my little girl - the grape flew out across the room - but I do think what would have happened if I hadn't heard the choking sound, she couldn't talk or walk to me.

bunny2 · 23/12/2003 21:38

Lethal, that is so awful, you must still be shaking. I cant understand why people give things like that to small children. When we lived in Spain ds (then 18 months - 2.5) was always given boiled sweets by well-meaning shop keepers. I would have to wrestle them out of his hands.

I did a baby first aid course but would have no confindence in doing emergency recusitation. Perhaps I should think about a refresher course, good idea Bossy.

Lamin, I did exactly the same. I locked ds in the car at the airport. I was almost hysterical and it took an hour to get into the car. We had police, the fire brigade, a mechanic, all trying to get to ds who was in his seat crying his eyes out. Horrible.

SantaBaby34 · 23/12/2003 21:51

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Lethal · 23/12/2003 22:25

SSH, thanks for that link, I've printed it out & will keep it where I can see it. I thought about the heimlich manouvre when it was happening but was a bit overcome with panic I think - also dh had grabbed ds and walked off in the other direction so I didn't even see how it came out, ds might have just coughed it up. I was too shaken up to ask. It's so terrible how panic takes over in those situations sometimes... I think dh probably smoked an extra packet of cigarettes last night from the stress (he doesn't smoke near ds BTW).

Anyway I guess this has been a lesson for all of us... my poor dad was silent for the whole night after it happened (ds is his whole life, IYKWIM) he said to me before they went home "I hope you're not going to think we're incompetent now, we should never have given him that lolly" & he just kept apologising. I think he's worried that dh won't trust them to take care of ds anymore. Of course we wouldn't do that to him as he's usually so responsible with ds, but at least it has made them aware (particularly my mother) that things like this can happen.

OP posts:
Demented · 23/12/2003 23:39

Oh my goodness Lethal, sounds like a nightmare. Glad everything was OK it doesn't half give you a fright though.