Also never put your fingers in their mouth to try and remove whatever is caught. My GF did this recently when her 2 yo DD was choking on a piece of sausage. Her DD wasn't breathing and she thought she could get it out, but when she put her fingers in, her DD clamped her jaw shut (which is common apparently). My GF's fingers were stuck in her mouth, getting very badly squashed. In the panic, my GF pulled her fingers out and pulled alot of skin off them. Ambulance arrived, her DD started breathing again, sausage must have moved down. DD went to hospital and thankfully had only very mild injuries. My poor GF ended up in hospital for 4 days and had microsurgery on the nerves in her fingers which were very badly damaged. She still had limited sensation in one of her fingers.
Geeze Mel! Yep, I read too that you should only sweep a mouth of a child if you can see the object... and I think it did say to do this for babies. But if a 2yo could do that! I'll think twice before putting my fingers in a child's mouth next time too!
Lordy that's scary about the fingers. The one and only time my DD1 choked (ironically on a piece of soft pear) I was able to hook it out with a finger. Not sure I really wanted to wait until she stopped breathing to test the other stuff out...!
ETA right Emmy after that I'm properly scared now. All power to you, you did the right thing and thankfully it worked. Not going to read any more of this thread cos it's bringing out all the choking stories!!
DD1 had a choking incident with a piece of rockmelon at a 1st birthday party and my first instinct was to turn her upside down (like we do puppies to get them breathing) and swing her upside down and gave her a little thump in between the shoulders. It came out and then she had a huge vomit as well.... it was scary but I was glad my first instinct was to do what you are supposed to do.
My GF and her DH were both trying to prize open her mouth but it was locked shut and tight! She said she has never felt pain like it (and she has had 5 kids!!!) and there was nothing they could do to open it. Apparently it was an involuntary reflex, like lock jaw. But my fingers won't be going into my kids mouths after her telling me that!!!
My daughter had a very serious choking incident. She wasn't breathing, was unconscious and blue/purple turning white/grey and blotchy. I flogged her many times on her back (I don't remember how many) as I found her like this not actually struggling she was past that. Fortunately with the repeat flogging it unblocked slightly for some air to go down and she had a massive vomit then which cleared the melted, gooey, chunky chocolate out. It took her 30mins to actually breath normally. She had chest recession, wheezing and tracheal tug. I felt so mean as her back actually bruised but at least she is alive.
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I'll think twice before putting my fingers in a child's mouth next time too!
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