Choking: Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare and How to Be Prepared

You child has hit that magical age when their pediatrician clears them for “solids”. You start meal prepping, you get out the camera, and stare in awe as they try their very first taste of something other than milk. As excited as you may be to think that a whole new stage is upon you, the reality of it is that you can’t help that nagging feeling that now your child runs the risk of choking. And the truth is, that risk only grows as your child ages and tries more and more foods.

Unable to shake that constant worry (after all, worrying is somewhat inevitable in parenthood), you do your best to be prepared and prevent your child from choking at all costs.

Disclosure: After learning about LifeVac, I have since partnered with them to bring awareness to others within this post. As ALWAYS, I only recommend products that I truly love and all opinions included are 100% my own.  

Preventing choking when possible

First, you sign up for a CPR class and master how to perform the Heimlich manuever (perhaps you even did this before your child was born). Then, you make certain that whomever is watching your child when you aren’t around (i.e. daycare, babysitter, grandparents, etc.) are aware of how to perform the Heimlich maneuver as well. Next, you do your research and make sure that all “choking prone foods” are cut from your child’s diet (at least until they are old enough to handle them (i.e. popcorn, carrots, grapes, hard candy, etc.). Then, you make sure that all foods are cut up appropriately (i.e. small long pieces as compared to circular/wide ones). Lastly, you make sure that you cue your child to appropriate and safe eating patterns (i.e. slowing down while eating, not talking while eating, and not putting too much food in their mouth at once).

After completing the above, you sit back and hope with everything you have, that choking will NEVER happen to your child.

However, the reality remains that choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children, especially those younger than 4 years of age. On average, a child dies every 5 days from choking in the United States according to Science Daily. Furthermore, despite being as prepared as possible when it comes to your child’s food intake, a large majority of those choking fatalities and injuries are related to non-food items (ie. toys, coins, etc.).

What more can you do to make your child safe?

After reading the above, your anxiety may have only increased as you realize the very harsh reality that is every parent’s worst nightmare: choking.

This was me.

Here I was, a new mother with a child starting solids. I was as prepared as possible, even fully trained biennially in “Advanced Skills Basic Life Support” (with emphasis on Heimlich maneuver, CPR, etc.) thanks to my acute care career in occupational therapy. I was doing everything “right” and was as prepared as possible. Then one day, while my husband I were talking in the kitchen and our daughter was eating her lunch, we glanced over to find our 15 month old bright red, tears rolling down her eyes, and not making a sound. Instantly, we went into panic mode, threw down the tray of food, and I flipped her as quickly as possible over my arm and knee while administering forceful blows between her shoulder blades. Within seconds, but what felt like hours, we heard her cry and soon my own tears followed. We were lucky, SO lucky. Unfortunately, not all parents are as lucky and the reality remained that next time we might not be as well.

Knowing there was not much more I could do to be prepared, I continued on each and every day and meal, with that tiny bit of nagging worry. Then, one day, while scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed I caught a glimpse of a video with a life saving product. A product that has single-handedly and significantly minimized my worry, and cut my child’s risk for a choking related death down substantially. A product called, LifeVac.

LifeVac

Sadly, we know that house fires are a reality, so we install smoke alarms. Fearfully, we know that curious children and low-lying outlets can result in electrocution, so we install outlet covers. We’ve been taught that increased blankets and stuffed animals in an infant’s crib can result in SIDS, so we make to sure remove them. As parents, if there is a possibility to increase our child’s safety, chances are we are going to take it. When it comes to choking, LifeVac is that possibility.

LifeVac is a FDA registered, lifesaving device that has proven to relieve choking, even when the Heimlich maneuver has failed. Specifically, it is a “non-powered, single-patient portable suction apparatus developed for resuscitating a choking victim when standard BLS protocol has been followed without success.” After creator,  Arthur Lih, heard of a woman in a hospital weeping following the death of her young son (after the Heimlich maneuver was unable to dislodge a grape from his windpipe), his ever present fear for his own chid only intensified. Along with Dr. Brody and a few close friends, he worked tirelessly to create a device that would help prevent another parent from weeping as a similar result.

Since it’s creation, LifeVac has continued to save lives, including Claire Duvall’s daughter, “I am trained in CPR, I did the Heimlich, it did not work, my daughter was dying in front of me. LifeVac saved her life. Please have a LifeVac. It is priceless!”

How LifeVac works

The beauty of LifeVac (at least in my opinion) is its simplicity. In fact, when describing its use, LifeVac states to simply, “place it, push it, and pull it“- a technique we can all easily remember. Designed with a one-way patented valve system that prevents air from pushing food or an object downward. Instead, air is vented outside the unit and not through the mask; effectively created to suction out a lodged item. While LifeVac encourages and offers a free video for training purposes, its use is very straightforward- effectively minimizing increased stress in an already very stressful situation. By simply placing the device over your child’s nose and mouth and pushing down, you can dislodge the choking item quickly and effectively. Watch exactly how it is done here.

Use for Others

Aside from the amazing effectiveness on children (22 pounds and up), LifeVac works for all ages and even for use on yourself. As a mom of two young children who often finds herself alone without adult interaction for long periods at a time, I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t crossed my mind about what I’d do if I were to be choking myself. With children too young to call 911, and with my inability to call and speak to a dispatcher, I would be forced to perform the Heimlich maneuver on myself or forcibly throw myself against a hard edge/chair in hopes to dislodge the item. Fortunately, I now have the peace of mind that LifeVac would provide me with one more very effective method of treatment.

Securing your peace of mind

After what I call my “most effective Facebook newsfeed scroll ever” and finding out about LifeVac, as a mom (who can speak first hand to the constant worry and fear of choking), and as an occupational therapist (who knows that children with both physical and intellectual disabilities often have an increased risk of choking); I can’t say enough how much LifeVac as provided me with increased security and peace of mind and can do the same for others.

Just as smoke detectors are installed everywhere, I truly feel it will only be a matter of time before LifeVac is in every home, every school, and every business. Until then, I would wholeheartedly continue to recommend being trained in the Heimlich maneuver, preventing choking by providing your child with safe and appropriate foods, and lastly, by keeping a LifeVac in your home.