A few days ago, late in the afternoon on Friday, I was feeding the kids an early dinner since we were having a babysitter over. While I was in the kitchen, 16 month old Ari started choking while he was in his high chair. At first this didn’t alarm me, but I glanced over at him to make sure he would be OK.
However, I quickly realized that the piece of Z Bar he had stuffed into his mouth must have been bigger than I originally thought. He was clearly in trouble and couldn’t cough the piece out. In fact he could barely even get a cough out.
I scooped him out of the high chair as fast as I could and immediately started doing some back blows to try and dislodge the food. It didn’t seem to help at all. I also attempted to do a quick finger sweep to see if I could help him get the food out. Then I went back to the back blows. Nothing seemed to be working, though.
His coughs were weak, his face was turning bright red and he couldn’t cry. I was terrified inside and I felt helpless. In my head I was also berating myself - why hadn’t I paid more attention in the first aid classes I had taken? And why hadn’t I taken a refresher course more recently?
I was becoming anxious and was starting to panic a bit as my mind began thinking of all the worst case scenarios. I thought of calling 911, but at first I didn’t know if the situation warranted it. However, when I realized that my baby’s life was definitely in danger, I picked up the phone.
One of the first things they asked me for was my address. We are still relatively new to our home, but thankfully the information rolled off my tongue. The lady could hear Ari struggling, and she could clearly hear the anxiety in my voice. She immediately dispatched aid.
Long story short, about a minute before the ambulance arrived, Ari was finally able to get everything out. Slobbery, baked granola bar was smeared all over him, all over me and was all over the floor. But none of that mattered because my precious little one was breathing.
I felt a bit sheepish when I answered the door and 4 paramedics were on my front porch. They came inside to fully assess the situation and make sure Ari’s airway was completely open. I apologized for calling them out, but they were quick to assure me that I had done exactly the right thing. That helped because for a little while there, before I had dialed 911, I really thought I was going to lose my baby. It was that bad and that scary.
My babysitter tip/reminder, though, for parents and caregivers is to make sure you leave your address with the one watching your kids. I always leave a little instruction sheet and our cell phone numbers with our sitters, but only sometimes do I remember to leave our address written down.
Not anymore, though. Now I will always leave it. It is such a simple thing to do, it takes 10 seconds, but it could end up saving a life. A life of one you love dearly. I know emergency personnel can trace calls, but sometimes those extra seconds are the difference between life and death.
So go hug your precious little ones and be grateful they are breathing! And be grateful for all the first responders out there who are always there to help us!
Your story made my heart race. I still remember when I got a call from my son’s high school from an administrator that they had to call the paramedics because he choked on a lollipop. I’m glad everything worked out OK for both our children.
So glad everyone is okay.
{{{hugs}}}
good call go call 911!
I have a piece of paper right by my kitchen phone that has our address and all of my kids’ names and birthdays on it. I used to keep their last weight on it too back when they were little, but I don’t do that anymore. Then is lists all of our phone numbers and the names and numbers of our emergency contacts and neighbors. It also has the number for poison control. It’s always there. The kids know it and I always point it out to the babysitters. Then I don’t have to remember to write it all down.
I’m so glad he’s ok!
Wow, how terrifying! I’m glad that he’s okay. Great reminder on the address.
Wow I”m so sorry! And just after I left! I’m so glad you called…..as I realized with Jack’s experience, there is nothing too trivial to call about because YOU NEVER KNOW.
That’s a good idea about the address. I have to admit, I thought the ambulance people knew from caller idea exactly where you’re calling from. Maybe not, though.
GLAD YOU TOLD US! But, moreso glad A’s okay! Darn z’ bars…
I’m glad everything ended well! I always leave emergency numbers for babysitters, but I hadn’t thought to have our address written down in case they get flustered. Good idea!!!
Oh wow. I am almost trembling reading this, because I have had similar thoughts like-I don’t know what to do in “basic” first aid situations. Even just this morning I woke up before Michael and just lay in bed and began going through worst case scenarios of why he wasn’t awake, (stopped breathing in his sleep), and that terrified me awake enough. I know, ridiculous-but I find it ironic how I just fictionally thought of that this morning and could yet feel the anxiety response with a thought like that. i can only imagine truly living it. i am SO glad he is okay and that you called 911 and that they reassured you it was the right thing. Agh!! How scary!
Very scary – so glad he’s okay!!!
great reminder/tip — I usually forget the address, too!!
And thank God that your little guy is well and this can be chalked up to a scary reminder and not a tragic situation!!
Glad everything turned out okay. That is very scarry.
Scary! My heart was racing while reading it too! I’m glad he’s okay. I need to leave our address…good reminder! We had to call 911 when my son was gagging on saliva/phlegm and couldn’t breathe very well, he was a baby. Those times are scary and definitely make you grateful for their health and safety!
How scary! I’m so glad he’s okay! We do always put our address on there, but I used to also put a little handout with instructions and an illustration about how to do CPR & the heimlich (sp?). I need to print a new one… Babysitters may not remember that either. I had a similar experience during lunch in my classroom. As soon as I saw a student choking, my first thought was to go get the OTHER teacher. ??? Not good. The kid was fine, and I brushed up on my info asap. Glad you called! Better to be extra safe.
I once had to dislodge an item a child was choking on when I was a babysitter (the 4th back blow did it-I was lucky), so I’ve always felt strongly about training babysitters. I’m glad Ari is OK.
So glad he is o.k. Great reminder!
Oh honey, how scary! My heart was pounding while reading this, imagining your anxiety, and I’m fighting back tears. I never remember to write our address down for sitters and will remedy that right away!