Had an awful experience tonight

[Lethal]

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.

Santababy,

You've scared me more than Lethal now!

Lethal, Hope your ds is ok now and that you are over the shock. Those things should be banned, they are everywhere, we go to the chinese, dd is offered one, go to the pub, their is a big jar of them on the window.... There was one in her bag last night and I quickly ate it before she could find it, your post hit a nerve and glad everything ended ok.

Lethal, It's a relief to know that everything is OK and the incident did not have more consequences. I took a course on pediatric first aid when I was pregnant and it has really helped us (DS was born with a condition that make him choke with his own laringe, that problem was easily solved by changing the position but if he had something else in the mouth... well I have put in practice a couple of things I learned during the course already several times...)
By the way, when I was taking the course there were several mothers that were concerned about having to appy so much force to the baby's bodys (for example, hit him really hard at the back of the baby to remove something or breaking a rib if trying to resucitate) but there's a point to keep in mind, there's no use of an intact ribcage if the baby has stoped breathing and, I don't want to scare you really, but a baby can get severely damaged in less than 10 min...

My youngest son choked on a 5p piece he'd put in his mouth when he was 3.5. Thankfully turning him over and bashing him on the back got it out, but it's awful how everything seems to go into slow motion. Glad your DS was OK, Lethal.