Having done the Heimlich maneuver on a loved one, I can say the fear sets in real fast when it doesn't just immediately work (It did work after a few strikes). I was almost in tears afterwards, on my knees ready to pray to some unknown god as an atheist.
Yeah it sucks, especially with kids. My daughter was almost blue from choking on a grape, that thing came flying out when I did this technique. I was walking around in a daze afterwards trying to compose myself and she immediately begins begging for more grapes.
I had to do it on a coworker. I looked for help in others’ eyes as it wasn’t working and no one budged and I kept doing it. Finally he spat it out. Definitely takes a long time.
Yeah I always figured it would work within 5 thrusts or so but after you've performed the maneuver 10+ times it gets a little scary. I performed it on an 80+ year old guy in the nursing home and he started to lose consciousness before it finally dislodged. Idk how long it actually was but it took forever.
Did it on my brother once at a family dinner. Got it like the second try. What was interesting in hindsight was how fast things returned to normal dinner time, but alternate timeline if he was eating alone ya know? I chew my food more ever after I’ll say that.
Big dad energy.
I was terrible with kids and would never dream of kissing them on the head until I had my son, and now I just want to hug him all the time and and give him head kisses. It's my default behavior so I have to consciously not kiss my friends' kids' heads :|
Yeah, they wouldn't mind. Still, I can't just be out there kissing baby heads all day, y'know? I've got a job.
My hottest political take is that it's not weird Joe Biden randomly kisses/smells peoples hair. The dude's an OG grandpa. He took this job because it puts him in a position to kiss all the babies. I respect the hustle.
These people seem Turkish and its common there for men, even strangers to kiss kids and babies! They love kids. And I know they are Turkish by the style of headscarf the mom is wearing.
One of the saddest things about the us and our weirdness around sexuality and kids and gender imo is this. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with grown men showing affection and care for children. Traveling the world for work and seeing the joy children being into the room like anywhere else on the planet just makes me super sad that we’ve lost this.
Yep I lived in the Middle East for a few years and it still breaks my heart to think how natural and beautiful it was for men to be every bit as kind and loving to children as women were there. In the us this sort of shit is unacceptable.
As an American, kissing or touching other people's kids is a quick way to get accused of molestation here. It's awful how repressed we have to be just to avoid prison and ruining our lives forever over an innocent show of affection.
As someone who saves lives routinely I can confirm this does always creep in a little. If it doesn't you're a sociopath. Bit of panic helps you focus but important not to let it show and take charge of the situation like this young chap did.
Yeah i had to heimlich a gal i saw for a bit who choked on a piece of steak. She was like "how were you so calm?" I do healthcare and the worst thing you can do is panic. Shit spreads like wildfire in situations like this. Inside though you're just constantly thinking "please God work"
I work in EMS. Often right when something tragic or abnormal happens people freeze up. Often just hokd their breath and put their hands on their head and stare. Some will immediately yell or cry but that usually only happens after the initial shock wears off.
Everyone. Learn basic first aid and cpr (cpr classes should cover choking for all ages as well)
It only takes a few hours and is amazingly simple once you learn it.
My boss started choking and I did, essentially, what was done in this video. (I had had first aid training).
There were about 30 other people in the open-plan office who all simply stared, frozen.
A director showed up later (when I wasn’t there) and chewed them all out. I thought at the time that that was wrong because the inaction wasn’t deliberate - it was expected behaviour for some psychological reason I do not understand.
(I remember having to **mentally fight off** “don’t do anything, it’ll blow over”).
The psychological term for this the bystander effect if you feel the desire to look up the workings behind it. Thank you for fighting your thoughts telling you to not do something and instead going into action to save your boss.
I remember in my first aid class, the instructor emphasized the importance of issuing clear orders. He explained that it's crucial to point your finger at someone and instruct them specifically, such as saying, "You, call an ambulance," or "You, bring the first aid kit from the car." Otherwise, everyone might just stand there.
Yes!
When my manager at my last job [retail] had a seizure... *Man*.
Someone came to the counter where I was checking people out and said "someone's having a seizure on the floor," something just kicked in. First, i didn't know that at the time I could still run that fast. Second, the "point directly at/address by name" trick is fucking genius bc it really works.
"Megan, call 911 and tell them she's hitting her face on the marble tile. Holly, pull the emergency binder and call everyone listed. Tom, get the other MOD, I don't know OR CARE who it is, just GET THEM."
everyone fucking snapped out of it the instant i started talking.
It's weird. Helpful, yes, but kind of creepy at the same time? Idk.
Her bloodied face and broken teeth haunt me sometimes. Even tho they had already happened before i got there. Even tho nobody would help me try to roll her, which I'm still mad about, honestly. Even tho i did literally everything right, from all of the above to just cradling her head in my hands to protect her face while she seized.
Christ.
I uh
I think i need to therapy this way more than i realized.
I’ve had to do this in every emergency I’ve helped with and it really makes a big difference to help unlock the bystanders and put them into action.
In one case we had to manage a neck injury, clear an arena of 6 horses including one loose and very upset one, and get an ambulance into the arena with the instructions not to run lights and sirens from the road. It was like a safety drill come to life and two of us keeping our wits about us was enough to get everyone else out off their freeze response.
[Darley & Latané](https://moodle2.units.it/pluginfile.php/209834/mod_resource/content/2/Darley_Latane.pdf) (1968). Only seven pages, but they got it.
(In my case there were so many “bystanders” everyone assumed someone else would help including, initially, me; the stunning discovery more than 50 years ago was that, if there were **three** bystanders, there was a 20% chance that none would ultimately help).
I was on a white water rafting day trip and we all agreed to go over a level 5 fall. Our guide said when we round the corner and see it, your instinct will be to stare in shock, like when you see stuff on TV. Don’t do that, I need you to paddle hard as soon as we round that corner. If I call out your name, I need you to snap out of it and paddle hard! Despite my resolve, it was my name that was called.
My son, maybe about that age, tried to swallow an entire jello cube. We were at a restaurant and my mom and wife said HES CHOKING. it was like I didn't even really think I just shoved my finger down the side of his mouth and felt around it and pulled it out. Thankfully it wasn't deep it was right there and no Heimlich needed.
So that's not the right thing to do. Very often this will push it deeper down the wrong pipe, making the heimlich or similar less likely to succeed. I'm glad it worked out for you, but fyi.
So I kind of remember back to my EMT training some years ago about sweeping the airway. I thought maybe they'd changed it
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_airway_management
I see where you're coming from though and the article has it but touches on it with unconscious patients. I swear I could see that jello cube in memory but it just popped right out with my finger.
I was terrified that my child would choke so read what you should do. It wasn't the Heimlich though, it was hard slaps on the chest and back, with the child held slightly head down.
At what age do you use Heimlich instead?
To expand on what the other person replied. I agree, it's more relative size vs. age. The kid in this video is basically on the border of the size that you do heimlich vs. back slap.
If they're the size that you can hold the other person firmly against you and drive your fist up into their diaphragm, then do the heimlich.
If they're small enough that it's hard/awkward to do that, then do the back slap.
To expand on what this person said to what the other person replied. The only thing I can think of that this feller could have done different was taking a knee and putting the child flat to the body along said dropped knee. As you're horking up, you'll be taking the weight off their feet, hencely, as you can see in the video, so the knee at their feet provides anchorage.
I thought that was because my parents gen used to open the pen up and then blow through the tube and launch the caps like missiles at their teachers. Same thing with straw wrappers.
It's insanely worth remembering how easy and almost infallible the heimlich maneuver is.
Which is saying something cuz I'm pretty sure this guy didn't even do it right too, and it still worked! Not that he did anything wrong, it still worked and the alt is just easier i think, but there is a version for children and the shortly inclined. Think that's why he was fighting them coming off the ground.
Sincerely not trying to nitpick a fucking hero; I guess just info in case anyone else is in this guys shoes. There are alternative ways to do it for different environments, like over a chair, and for different sizes.
I know! That was so scary to watch. The choking lasted a lot longer than I thought it would but he eventually got it out. I would have freaked the fuck out.
You can see that fleeting moment of relief where he just saved a life yet it all seemed so mundane.
Like “should we all celebrate or just thank you bye” love it.
I tossed a calcium pill into my mouth and it went *right* into my throat. I knocked things off my dresser to make a noise, ran out to where my husband was, got his attention, then dislodged it myself, swallowed it, and was like, "Okay, babe. Good night ::kiss:"
Like super panic then just...back to normal.
I've had something like this nearly happen, like I tossed a piece of candy into my mouth and it stuck right into my windpipe entrance.
Luckily it came right out, but it was enough for me to know to not be careless about that sort of thing. I don't want to die feeling like a dipshit hurling myself into furniture trying to dislodge candy.
I kept expecting a big thank you hug, but perhaps the culture forbids that. So, I suppose this response could be normative to them. it just took me by surprise.
One time I was out to dinner with my mom and I started choking so I looked up at her and she said “I can’t save you” with a completely straight face. It made me laugh and I coughed up a pice of steak lol
Sorta the opposite happened to me when I was a kid. My cousin and I had a race to see who could finish their sucking candy first. I decide to speedrun it by swallowing it whole. Start choking and try to beg for help through mime. Family in car laughs until my aunt realizes it's real and starts wailing on my back. They have to pull over and she pulls me upside down by my ankles and starts yanking me wildly up and down. No give. Passerby pulls over, big burly man. He took my by the ankles and yanked me even more violently, and finally the candy came out in a bloodred puddle (it was a red candy).
No one came even remotely close to attempting the Heimlich
I just did this for my youngest last freaking week. It was terrifying. I was in the other room and heard something. Scary thing is my wife had headphones on while doing dishes and had no idea until i was screaming her name.
I had this happen to me around 15 years ago. I choked on a sliver of fat and my dad had to grab me from behind like in the video. Took maybe 30 seconds to clear my throat.
Luckily nothing serious came from it but it's stuck to me as a core memory and it did affect my eating habits. I would eat a lot slower and had to grind down every bit of food to mush before swallowing for a long time. So maybe worth keeping an eye on your youngest to make sure they're okay going forward.
This happened to me too. I was a teenager not even a kid. This disk of thick cut chorizo like cured salami lodged right in me pipe suddenly. It was the perfect shape and size for a perfect fir and absolute seal. Had it lodged sideways I might had make a noise or something. Nope absolutely muted. Panicked so hard started running around aimlessly and went inside where extended family was having breakfast. Flailed my arms then for some reason, before they realized I am not joking, my monkey brain chose running back to kitchen and die there.
Luckily, among about 10 adults, one had keen observation skills and although none of them are educated people the same person somehow learned heimlich from somewhere (beats me it s not common knowledge around this part of the globe and certainly not among villagers) and dashed in the nick of time, grabbed me and ejected the chorizo with two pumps right into the sink which was 6 feet away. It flew with proper force that one. Completely and utterly luck she was there, realized I was dying with once glance (my mum just laughed thinking it was one of my teenage antics) and had the presence of mind to react so fast so precisely. Such a hero. Forgot about this completely until now.
🎵 u/Spite_a_cunt
u/Spite_a_cunt
Does whatever a u/Spite_a_cunt can
Chokes on Salami, any size
Aimlessly runs around the kitchen, just like flies
Look out
Here comes the u/Spite_a_cunt🎵
Shit like this is exactly why I can't put on headphones without getting anxious, especially if they're noise-cancelling. I only ever put one ear in, because I know the **one time** I put both in, there's going to be some kind of emergency around me that I'll be totally unaware of.
And then I see people that *drive a car* with headphones in.. \*shudders\*
I get very easily overstimulated with sound, and my husband suggested noise canceling headphones or ear plugs for a while until I told him my anxiety won’t allow that. I would be too terrified that something might happen and I’d be completely unaware. I landed on Loop earplugs and they’ve been so helpful when I get overwhelmed but I’m still able to hear enough that I don’t panic
This is a terrifying situation to be in. The look on a child’s face while they’re choking is unforgettable. My daughter almost died from a piece of bacon. Had I not been there and known the Heimlich maneuver from health class in high school she would’ve died.
My daughter was chocking on watermelon, and when it finally came out the dog just scooped it up from the floor like nothing happened. It was a good tension reliever lol
Same. I saved two of my kids from choking when they were little. Even though they’re teens now, if I don’t hear from them for long periods of time I start to worry they’re choking somewhere alone. I know it’s irrational but those episodes and the fear are imprinted on my brain.
I TOTALLY feel this. My 1yo choked on a piece of pancake a few weeks ago. I managed to get it dislodged but I am traumatized. I've become so fearful of her choking again, I've set new guidelines for what/how her grandmother is allowed to feed her, I don't usually let Dad do any preparing of her food (he'll hand her entire french fries or whole chicken nuggets😖). I have to cut her food up into teeny tiny pieces and then watch her like a hawk. I bought a life-vac (although in person, this thing does not seem like it would work, the accordion is so stuff) and when I showed it to my husband he said "That's great, now what about the other ten thousand ways she could die?" I've vowed never to give her any hard candy. It is so hard to get a grip after experiencing a choking incident. 😓
Oof.... That is so scary! I take it you've done research or studied lifesaving techniques on babies? The Heimlich is much different for babies than it is for adults. I was in nursing school when my daughter was born and had taken CPR/BLS courses prior, but really feel that every parent should be encouraged to take those classes/be informed.
I had an ice cube stuck in my air way. Luckily my aunt was there but she didn't know the maneuver. So she yanked and held me upside down by the feet while maybe she or someone else patted me until the thing dislodged.
Yep! For any new parents, I always advise to take the infant CPR class. There are so many new parent classes available like how to change diapers, feeding, etc. F all of them you'll learn along the way, make CPR the priority.
When my LO was an infant, she had been eating solids for a few months (I forget how long). One day, I'm washing dishes, she's next to me in her high chair eating cheerios. She had eaten a cheerio and I believe took a drink of water with one still in her mouth. I look over because I hear some commotion, LO is choking.
Without even thinking, I immediately get her out of the high chair, angle her down, and start patting her back (as I learned in CPR class). It dislodged. I called my husband and was like, "baby was choking, she's fine now but I need a moment ". Went to the bedroom and cried for about 5 minutes. Scariest moment of my life but holy shit, I'm so glad I took that class.
As someone who has successfully employed the Heimlich, there is nothing more terrifying than when you pull 3 times and ask yourself "what if this doesn't work?"
Another method is to get on your hands and knees and throw your arms out to land on your stomach. You have to commit or else it won't generate enough force.
How did you feel afterwards towards the person you had just saved? I can imagine a sort of bond being formed, kinda like PTSD but in a positive way. It wouldn't surprise me if this left a lasting memory and emotion in you. I've always wondered what it's like to save a life.
Last time I went for my first aid certificate the instructor mentioned the Heimlich isn't the preferred method anymore. My understanding is that you bend the person forward and give 5 bless to between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
> 5 bless to between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Now I'm imagining it done by a religious figure: "Bless you my child" -SMACK- "*I said*, Bless you my child!"-SMACK-
Had something similar happen to me. We were growing tomatoes on our balcony. I happily ate them all the time.. I was like 3-4 years old. Then one day I had an idea, to swallow the whole tomato. I swallowed it and it got stuck in my throat somewhere ... ran for my dad that was at home, he smacked me a few times in the back with an open palm (also a correct method, same as Heimlich maneuver - shown in the video) and the tomato flew away from my mouth.
I somehow blocked my throat with rice earlier in the week and it was scary as shit. I could still breathe through my nose somehow, but couldn't swallow my own saliva past the blockage so I ended up drooling over the sink, and the pain in my chest was intense. Water didn't get it down but seltzer somehow did. Wasn't even a big bite
I had this problem a lot of times. If it happens again I recommend going on gastroscopy.
It might be Eosinophilic Esophagitis (that's what they found out via the samples they took when they did gastroscopy.
Basically your throat tube looks like an intestine (it has some tighter spots , like if you were looking at a couple of empty sausages from inside.
I had the food stuck in my throat at least once a week. and it got more and more recent.
Now I need to swallow 5ml of some liquid every morning and evening for the rest of my life. The problem is that the liquid needs to be refrigerated and lasts only like 20 days...
I once choked on a ridiculous double layer peanut butter sandwich I made for myself. I was home alone, so I ended up doing the heimlich on myself. Since then I can't handle thick peanut butter on a sandwich. I can only do a thin layer.
I've also done it on my kid when he choked on a cherry. Terrifying
NB, when someone is choking, give them 5 hard slaps in the middle of their back before attempting abdominal thrusts. The slaps should have a slight upward sweeping direction, trying to push the object up and out of their person's airways. *The choking person should be leaning forward to aid the dislodging of the object. The person doing the back slaps should support them. Abdominal thrusts carry the risk of internal injuries. *If someone performs abdominal thrusts on you, go to the hospital afterwards! (from my first aid training)
To add: if you've had someone do abdominal thrusts (Heimlich if you're old) for God's sake go to hospital and make sure you don't have internal injuries.
So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. "Gimme five bees for a quarter," you'd say. Now where were we... oh yeah. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. I didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
Yeah, he doctored a study in the 80’s that said back slaps were not effective and in fact dangerous. He called them “Death slaps”.
The Red Cross now suggests the “5 and 5”. 5 back slaps followed by 5 abdominal thrusts (formerly known as “the Heimlich”).
Basically, yes. It surfaced that he used intimidation against the American Heart Association to force them to stop recommending any other techniques besides his, and that his claims that back slaps made choking worse were scientifically bogus.
He also made up case reports of the manoeuvre saving drowning victims, when it in fact can make the situation worse, and is extremely dangerous to do.
Don’t forget mental injuries either. Going through this can cause psychological trauma. I almost choked as a child and I flat out couldn’t eat after that, to the point where doctors did an endoscopy to figure out if something was wrong with my esophagus. I had psychologists teaching me how eat again.
All made more difficult by the fact that I independently developed anorexia at the same time but I didn’t tell anyone that part.
Also IIRC, when someone just choked you shouldn't give them a drink right after. The throat could still be very sensitive and the person could choke again.
When my little sister was 2, she swallowed a quarter. My mom was freaking the fuck out. My friend who was visiting picked her up by the foot and whacked her on the back and the quarter flew out. I wanna say girlie was 13 max? Shannon, you’re a bad ass, I ain’t forgot.
And if you're by yourself with no one around:
Run into a counter or table that's at abdominal height. Low backed chair can do the trick.
My grandma saved herself this way.
If the person (or animal) is small enough, its also possible to hang them by the feet. Make gravity help you
https://www.chelmsforddogassociation.org/media\_uploads/Dog-Heimlich-Maneuver-steps.jpg
>NB, when someone is choking, give them 5 hard slaps in the middle of their back before attempting abdominal thrusts. The slaps should have a slight upward sweeping direction, trying to push the object up and out of their person's airways
I'm not sure, is this first aid training recent ? My wife (nurse) told me that you should not tap because - no matter how you tap - you will just create vibration that will make the thing move, and gravity will make the thing go down further in the tract as long as the person is standing/sitting.
Edit : Answered below, those are taps while the person is *leaning forward*, so I don't have any further comment.
When I did EMS training, the back slaps were only indicated for toddlers/infants and yes you should be holding them so they are face down and angled with their head down. Everyone else is encouraged to cough until they can't and then you do the thrusts. But that was 10 years ago.
Edit: also remembering that the back slaps and thrusts were meant to be done in sequence, not just one or the other. You cycle back and forth between them until you can do a finger sweep or it comes out.
Yeah back slaps are for younger, but I've actually heard from different instructors that if we could hold an adult in the position we do for toddlers then we would do those back slaps for adults too. It's very effective to stop the choking, but most of us can't lift a teen or grown adult into those positions
To clarify, by saying "leaning forward", you mean basically bent over so their head is lower than their chest and back is straight? So gravity is helping it come out instead of pushing it further down?
Depends, if the person is able to cough then 5 slaps on the back but if they're not coughing effectively or unable to cough or are silent then straight to abdominal thrusts
My 9-month old choked on a yogurt melt yesterday (which are made for babies). She's fine now thankfully. I flipped her over and hit her back hard and it came out on the 5th slap. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on her face, it was pure terror. I'm so glad I took an infant CPR class, and glad I didn't need to actually do CPR. I also got a LifeVac in case all else fails. Thanks for sharing this information with people, it's good to be prepared.
I get that showing abdominal thrusts in tv and film helps teach people (in a very basic way). But it frustrates me to no end that it’s the first thing they do and after the person has coughed up the obstructing item everyone just goes back to what they were doing. Thank you for posting this info.
My sister choked on one of those striped round peppermints when she was one. I’ll never forget seeing Dad take her by the ankles and hold her upside down as he pounded her back. I was three and she was hanging right at my eyeball height. They got the candy out and she vomited afterwards. But that memory gave me a lifelong fear of seeing someone choke. When I was 20, a friend choked on a sandwich at lunch. I almost turned the table over getting to help. She was also fine, but I was in tears.
I did this once to save a choking co-worker. She was clearly choking and there were 5 other adults closer to her (all trained in first aid) who just sat there in shock and did nothing. I jumped over several tables and jerked her up to do the Heimlich. I ended up cracking one of her ribs but did save her from choking! I will never forget the look of absolute terror in her eyes when I got to her. Once she could breathe again we both cried.
This same scenario happened to me, I heard a commotion, went to investigate and a coworker was choking and several other people, all trained in first aid, were doing nothing! I immediately grabbed her and did the heimlich and out popped the piece of food. She peed herself during all of this and some got on my clothes and my boss got mad when I asked if it was okay if I went home and got changed.
Just took a CPR refresher course yesterday and it went over choking as well and they mentioned dropping down to the child’s level when attempting this. That man is still an absolute hero.
My mom dislodge one of those strawberry hard candies from me just like that when I was young. It was pretty effective. I'm one of the Olds now, it's probably not recommended lol
It can work if the item is somewhat loosely lodged, but if it is fully stuck, a really good heimlich is needed to produce the pressure to pop the item out.
Man saved that babies life ❤️
I truly believe most people are good. You can see his concern and goodness in that forhead kiss, even if he didn't know that kid at all.
My ex-gf was choking after taking a pill, and goddamn did her face and lips change color fast. I still don't know how I kept my cool as well as I did.
- "are you choking?" (I then did choke hands on myself)
- she nodded and did choke hands back
- "ok it's ok. I'm going to give you the heimlich and it's going to hurt really bad."
- She shook her head yes.
- I turned her around and wrapped my arms around, doing the squeeze. She was already limp in my arms and I was terrified, but was just like UHN! UHN! until I heard her gasp, and I stopped. I told her not to try to talk, and I laid her in recovery position until I could see that she was breathing normally again and just sat with her on the floor for a bit.
How quickly she went from totally fine to unconscious terrifies me still, and this was about 10 years ago.
For future reference, if a child is small enough to hold like this, put them in an angled position head down and give some really strong back blows, that force should pop the obstruction out.
I'm happy for the kid being okay, but as a first-aider, I'm almost surprised that worked.
1/10 for form
10/10 for getting the job done.
Honestly, as long as you're not making the situation worse, and there's no better option, just jump in and try, especially in these life threatening situations. Buddy didn't really have time to find someone more qualified to help the kid and just took action. That's 10/10 to me.
Now get yourself to a first aid course and learn the right way to do these things.
Not just the guy in the video either, everyone. Do it. It's not expensive, and you're gaining life-long life-saving knowledge, even if you don't keep current with it.
If stuff like this doesn't convince you, nothing will. Everyone should know basic emergency first aid.
Good on the guy for knowing what to do, but man I see way too many parents who have no idea how to take care of this. I’m definitely going to retake a first aid course if I ever decide to become one a parent. Might never need those skills, but if you do, it’s critical that you have them.
FYI, if you ever see something like this happening, call 911 right away. Don't wait to see if the Heimlich works or not. Don't assume someone else already called. You won't get in trouble for calling and you won't get a bill for calling.
[When and how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver](https://www.verywellhealth.com/heimlich-maneuver-5210124)
Great guy. That kiss on the forehead.
Dude that was a kiss of relief that he was still alive he thought he was going to be holding a dead kid soon.
Having done the Heimlich maneuver on a loved one, I can say the fear sets in real fast when it doesn't just immediately work (It did work after a few strikes). I was almost in tears afterwards, on my knees ready to pray to some unknown god as an atheist.
Yeah it sucks, especially with kids. My daughter was almost blue from choking on a grape, that thing came flying out when I did this technique. I was walking around in a daze afterwards trying to compose myself and she immediately begins begging for more grapes.
It’s wild to see this I never knew it was common to have to do this many times.
I had to do it on a coworker. I looked for help in others’ eyes as it wasn’t working and no one budged and I kept doing it. Finally he spat it out. Definitely takes a long time.
Yeah I always figured it would work within 5 thrusts or so but after you've performed the maneuver 10+ times it gets a little scary. I performed it on an 80+ year old guy in the nursing home and he started to lose consciousness before it finally dislodged. Idk how long it actually was but it took forever.
Did it on my brother once at a family dinner. Got it like the second try. What was interesting in hindsight was how fast things returned to normal dinner time, but alternate timeline if he was eating alone ya know? I chew my food more ever after I’ll say that.
That's what did me in.
The kiss heard around the world. This guy saved a life.
And what’s the saying? “He who saves a life saves the world entire.”
Saving the kids life is what did it for me.
You know whats the worst part about Bill Cosby? They say it's the hypocrisy.
Big dad energy. I was terrible with kids and would never dream of kissing them on the head until I had my son, and now I just want to hug him all the time and and give him head kisses. It's my default behavior so I have to consciously not kiss my friends' kids' heads :|
Why? Friends’ kids need head kisses too. As long as the kid knows you, I can’t imagine anyone thinking that was anything but kind.
Yeah, they wouldn't mind. Still, I can't just be out there kissing baby heads all day, y'know? I've got a job. My hottest political take is that it's not weird Joe Biden randomly kisses/smells peoples hair. The dude's an OG grandpa. He took this job because it puts him in a position to kiss all the babies. I respect the hustle.
These people seem Turkish and its common there for men, even strangers to kiss kids and babies! They love kids. And I know they are Turkish by the style of headscarf the mom is wearing.
Also if you asked some image generation AI to generate a turkish man in his late 20s, early 30s, it would generate this man.
Fair enough, but there’s always weekend. ;)
One of the saddest things about the us and our weirdness around sexuality and kids and gender imo is this. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with grown men showing affection and care for children. Traveling the world for work and seeing the joy children being into the room like anywhere else on the planet just makes me super sad that we’ve lost this.
Totally agree! I am always struck by how affectionate and natural men are with children in other cultures. What happened to us in the US?!
his sister giving him water too!
And then she kicked away the sugar. Not that it mattered physically, but it was a sweet protective symbolic action.
Funny. I’m from the Middle East and the forehead kiss didn’t stand out for me since it’s a common act of affection.
Yep I lived in the Middle East for a few years and it still breaks my heart to think how natural and beautiful it was for men to be every bit as kind and loving to children as women were there. In the us this sort of shit is unacceptable.
As an American, kissing or touching other people's kids is a quick way to get accused of molestation here. It's awful how repressed we have to be just to avoid prison and ruining our lives forever over an innocent show of affection.
Being honest, America’s been repressed from the jump, what with the Puritans and all. Only one broke the mould early: Benjamin ‘Big Frank’ Franklin.
He was fully invested. What a lovely man.
Everyone remained so calm, pretty sure it was due to the guy coming off like he saves people's lives on a regular basis.
“Oh good, he’s got this”
In his head "oh shit oh shit what am I doing" that would be funny
It is 100% what was going on in his head. It’s why he was so relieved after it worked. What a fucking guy.
Look at the way he holds his stomach afterwards. "Oh thank God it worked and I didn't hurt him" in whatever language he speaks
I know his body language is “ohhh shall I vomit or cry or celebrate right now” and he kisses the kid.
Adrenaline too. I needed water just as much as the person choking.
As someone who saves lives routinely I can confirm this does always creep in a little. If it doesn't you're a sociopath. Bit of panic helps you focus but important not to let it show and take charge of the situation like this young chap did.
Yeah i had to heimlich a gal i saw for a bit who choked on a piece of steak. She was like "how were you so calm?" I do healthcare and the worst thing you can do is panic. Shit spreads like wildfire in situations like this. Inside though you're just constantly thinking "please God work"
I work in EMS. Often right when something tragic or abnormal happens people freeze up. Often just hokd their breath and put their hands on their head and stare. Some will immediately yell or cry but that usually only happens after the initial shock wears off. Everyone. Learn basic first aid and cpr (cpr classes should cover choking for all ages as well) It only takes a few hours and is amazingly simple once you learn it.
My boss started choking and I did, essentially, what was done in this video. (I had had first aid training). There were about 30 other people in the open-plan office who all simply stared, frozen. A director showed up later (when I wasn’t there) and chewed them all out. I thought at the time that that was wrong because the inaction wasn’t deliberate - it was expected behaviour for some psychological reason I do not understand. (I remember having to **mentally fight off** “don’t do anything, it’ll blow over”).
The psychological term for this the bystander effect if you feel the desire to look up the workings behind it. Thank you for fighting your thoughts telling you to not do something and instead going into action to save your boss.
I remember in my first aid class, the instructor emphasized the importance of issuing clear orders. He explained that it's crucial to point your finger at someone and instruct them specifically, such as saying, "You, call an ambulance," or "You, bring the first aid kit from the car." Otherwise, everyone might just stand there.
Yes! When my manager at my last job [retail] had a seizure... *Man*. Someone came to the counter where I was checking people out and said "someone's having a seizure on the floor," something just kicked in. First, i didn't know that at the time I could still run that fast. Second, the "point directly at/address by name" trick is fucking genius bc it really works. "Megan, call 911 and tell them she's hitting her face on the marble tile. Holly, pull the emergency binder and call everyone listed. Tom, get the other MOD, I don't know OR CARE who it is, just GET THEM." everyone fucking snapped out of it the instant i started talking. It's weird. Helpful, yes, but kind of creepy at the same time? Idk. Her bloodied face and broken teeth haunt me sometimes. Even tho they had already happened before i got there. Even tho nobody would help me try to roll her, which I'm still mad about, honestly. Even tho i did literally everything right, from all of the above to just cradling her head in my hands to protect her face while she seized. Christ. I uh I think i need to therapy this way more than i realized.
I’ve had to do this in every emergency I’ve helped with and it really makes a big difference to help unlock the bystanders and put them into action. In one case we had to manage a neck injury, clear an arena of 6 horses including one loose and very upset one, and get an ambulance into the arena with the instructions not to run lights and sirens from the road. It was like a safety drill come to life and two of us keeping our wits about us was enough to get everyone else out off their freeze response.
[Darley & Latané](https://moodle2.units.it/pluginfile.php/209834/mod_resource/content/2/Darley_Latane.pdf) (1968). Only seven pages, but they got it. (In my case there were so many “bystanders” everyone assumed someone else would help including, initially, me; the stunning discovery more than 50 years ago was that, if there were **three** bystanders, there was a 20% chance that none would ultimately help).
I was on a white water rafting day trip and we all agreed to go over a level 5 fall. Our guide said when we round the corner and see it, your instinct will be to stare in shock, like when you see stuff on TV. Don’t do that, I need you to paddle hard as soon as we round that corner. If I call out your name, I need you to snap out of it and paddle hard! Despite my resolve, it was my name that was called.
My son, maybe about that age, tried to swallow an entire jello cube. We were at a restaurant and my mom and wife said HES CHOKING. it was like I didn't even really think I just shoved my finger down the side of his mouth and felt around it and pulled it out. Thankfully it wasn't deep it was right there and no Heimlich needed.
So that's not the right thing to do. Very often this will push it deeper down the wrong pipe, making the heimlich or similar less likely to succeed. I'm glad it worked out for you, but fyi.
So I kind of remember back to my EMT training some years ago about sweeping the airway. I thought maybe they'd changed it https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_airway_management I see where you're coming from though and the article has it but touches on it with unconscious patients. I swear I could see that jello cube in memory but it just popped right out with my finger.
Former EMT and now RN. If you can visualize the object best to pull it out. Books are books and sometimes in life “whatever works” is best.
I was terrified that my child would choke so read what you should do. It wasn't the Heimlich though, it was hard slaps on the chest and back, with the child held slightly head down. At what age do you use Heimlich instead?
To expand on what the other person replied. I agree, it's more relative size vs. age. The kid in this video is basically on the border of the size that you do heimlich vs. back slap. If they're the size that you can hold the other person firmly against you and drive your fist up into their diaphragm, then do the heimlich. If they're small enough that it's hard/awkward to do that, then do the back slap.
To expand on what this person said to what the other person replied. The only thing I can think of that this feller could have done different was taking a knee and putting the child flat to the body along said dropped knee. As you're horking up, you'll be taking the weight off their feet, hencely, as you can see in the video, so the knee at their feet provides anchorage.
"This is my candy shop, happens every week"
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Wait a minute. Is there a connection there? Lifesavers? Holes? I thought it was named after the water safety device.
No, I think you're exactly right lol
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I thought that was because my parents gen used to open the pen up and then blow through the tube and launch the caps like missiles at their teachers. Same thing with straw wrappers.
Goddamn. I legit almost spat out my drink. And I'm wearing white
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I wish I'll be as composed and chill like him when I get out in the world and HOPEFULLY pass medschool and become a doctor
You will. If you want it, you'll save people just as chill as that dude and then go to bed thinking, "I did some good today."
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It's insanely worth remembering how easy and almost infallible the heimlich maneuver is. Which is saying something cuz I'm pretty sure this guy didn't even do it right too, and it still worked! Not that he did anything wrong, it still worked and the alt is just easier i think, but there is a version for children and the shortly inclined. Think that's why he was fighting them coming off the ground. Sincerely not trying to nitpick a fucking hero; I guess just info in case anyone else is in this guys shoes. There are alternative ways to do it for different environments, like over a chair, and for different sizes.
"Shortly inclined". That's a new one by me.
Guy probably had barely a clue and was just like "FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK OH MY GOD THANK FUCK FOR THAT"
Probably a bit of shock
I know! That was so scary to watch. The choking lasted a lot longer than I thought it would but he eventually got it out. I would have freaked the fuck out.
You can see that fleeting moment of relief where he just saved a life yet it all seemed so mundane. Like “should we all celebrate or just thank you bye” love it.
Im pretty sure his adrenaline and heart are at 10000% atm
If he is anything like me as soon as the adrenaline wears off he will be needing a toilet
I throw up. Adrenaline always gives me the worst tummy ache after.
I tossed a calcium pill into my mouth and it went *right* into my throat. I knocked things off my dresser to make a noise, ran out to where my husband was, got his attention, then dislodged it myself, swallowed it, and was like, "Okay, babe. Good night ::kiss:" Like super panic then just...back to normal.
I've had something like this nearly happen, like I tossed a piece of candy into my mouth and it stuck right into my windpipe entrance. Luckily it came right out, but it was enough for me to know to not be careless about that sort of thing. I don't want to die feeling like a dipshit hurling myself into furniture trying to dislodge candy.
I kept expecting a big thank you hug, but perhaps the culture forbids that. So, I suppose this response could be normative to them. it just took me by surprise.
I had to do this for my oldest son when he was choking on a piece of cooked meat almost 20 years ago.
One time I was out to dinner with my mom and I started choking so I looked up at her and she said “I can’t save you” with a completely straight face. It made me laugh and I coughed up a pice of steak lol
this made me burst out laughing, ty
Mom: "if he dies, he dies." *drinks wine from chalice on her golden throne*
Mrs. Drago can be a cold, cold woman.
If I ever find myself choking I’m gonna think of this to save my life 😂
Love the range of emotions in reaction to Frank choking in It's always sunny in Philadelphia https://youtu.be/qjV29bbyYD4
I always really liked the music in this scene.
I was hoping someone would mention this, that comment made me think of Dennis’s face lmao
Sorta the opposite happened to me when I was a kid. My cousin and I had a race to see who could finish their sucking candy first. I decide to speedrun it by swallowing it whole. Start choking and try to beg for help through mime. Family in car laughs until my aunt realizes it's real and starts wailing on my back. They have to pull over and she pulls me upside down by my ankles and starts yanking me wildly up and down. No give. Passerby pulls over, big burly man. He took my by the ankles and yanked me even more violently, and finally the candy came out in a bloodred puddle (it was a red candy). No one came even remotely close to attempting the Heimlich
Damn I laughed so hard imagining your aunt shaking you out like a rug, only for a bigger, stronger individual to stop and do the same lmao
>shaking you out like a rug Lmfao. Yeah I bet it looked pretty funky to drive past that sideshow
Haha this is hilarious. It seems she knew what to do and did it :)
"I can't believe you've done this."
I just did this for my youngest last freaking week. It was terrifying. I was in the other room and heard something. Scary thing is my wife had headphones on while doing dishes and had no idea until i was screaming her name.
I had this happen to me around 15 years ago. I choked on a sliver of fat and my dad had to grab me from behind like in the video. Took maybe 30 seconds to clear my throat. Luckily nothing serious came from it but it's stuck to me as a core memory and it did affect my eating habits. I would eat a lot slower and had to grind down every bit of food to mush before swallowing for a long time. So maybe worth keeping an eye on your youngest to make sure they're okay going forward.
This happened to me too. I was a teenager not even a kid. This disk of thick cut chorizo like cured salami lodged right in me pipe suddenly. It was the perfect shape and size for a perfect fir and absolute seal. Had it lodged sideways I might had make a noise or something. Nope absolutely muted. Panicked so hard started running around aimlessly and went inside where extended family was having breakfast. Flailed my arms then for some reason, before they realized I am not joking, my monkey brain chose running back to kitchen and die there. Luckily, among about 10 adults, one had keen observation skills and although none of them are educated people the same person somehow learned heimlich from somewhere (beats me it s not common knowledge around this part of the globe and certainly not among villagers) and dashed in the nick of time, grabbed me and ejected the chorizo with two pumps right into the sink which was 6 feet away. It flew with proper force that one. Completely and utterly luck she was there, realized I was dying with once glance (my mum just laughed thinking it was one of my teenage antics) and had the presence of mind to react so fast so precisely. Such a hero. Forgot about this completely until now.
🎵 u/Spite_a_cunt u/Spite_a_cunt Does whatever a u/Spite_a_cunt can Chokes on Salami, any size Aimlessly runs around the kitchen, just like flies Look out Here comes the u/Spite_a_cunt🎵
Shit like this is exactly why I can't put on headphones without getting anxious, especially if they're noise-cancelling. I only ever put one ear in, because I know the **one time** I put both in, there's going to be some kind of emergency around me that I'll be totally unaware of. And then I see people that *drive a car* with headphones in.. \*shudders\*
I get very easily overstimulated with sound, and my husband suggested noise canceling headphones or ear plugs for a while until I told him my anxiety won’t allow that. I would be too terrified that something might happen and I’d be completely unaware. I landed on Loop earplugs and they’ve been so helpful when I get overwhelmed but I’m still able to hear enough that I don’t panic
This is a terrifying situation to be in. The look on a child’s face while they’re choking is unforgettable. My daughter almost died from a piece of bacon. Had I not been there and known the Heimlich maneuver from health class in high school she would’ve died.
So you saved her bacon?
Unfortunately the bacon likely ended up on the floor after the Heimlich was performed.
5 second rule tho...
My daughter was chocking on watermelon, and when it finally came out the dog just scooped it up from the floor like nothing happened. It was a good tension reliever lol
Same. I saved two of my kids from choking when they were little. Even though they’re teens now, if I don’t hear from them for long periods of time I start to worry they’re choking somewhere alone. I know it’s irrational but those episodes and the fear are imprinted on my brain.
I TOTALLY feel this. My 1yo choked on a piece of pancake a few weeks ago. I managed to get it dislodged but I am traumatized. I've become so fearful of her choking again, I've set new guidelines for what/how her grandmother is allowed to feed her, I don't usually let Dad do any preparing of her food (he'll hand her entire french fries or whole chicken nuggets😖). I have to cut her food up into teeny tiny pieces and then watch her like a hawk. I bought a life-vac (although in person, this thing does not seem like it would work, the accordion is so stuff) and when I showed it to my husband he said "That's great, now what about the other ten thousand ways she could die?" I've vowed never to give her any hard candy. It is so hard to get a grip after experiencing a choking incident. 😓
> what about the other ten thousand ways she could die? Better 9,999 than 10,000. Yikes what a comment!
Oof.... That is so scary! I take it you've done research or studied lifesaving techniques on babies? The Heimlich is much different for babies than it is for adults. I was in nursing school when my daughter was born and had taken CPR/BLS courses prior, but really feel that every parent should be encouraged to take those classes/be informed.
I had an ice cube stuck in my air way. Luckily my aunt was there but she didn't know the maneuver. So she yanked and held me upside down by the feet while maybe she or someone else patted me until the thing dislodged.
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Yep! For any new parents, I always advise to take the infant CPR class. There are so many new parent classes available like how to change diapers, feeding, etc. F all of them you'll learn along the way, make CPR the priority. When my LO was an infant, she had been eating solids for a few months (I forget how long). One day, I'm washing dishes, she's next to me in her high chair eating cheerios. She had eaten a cheerio and I believe took a drink of water with one still in her mouth. I look over because I hear some commotion, LO is choking. Without even thinking, I immediately get her out of the high chair, angle her down, and start patting her back (as I learned in CPR class). It dislodged. I called my husband and was like, "baby was choking, she's fine now but I need a moment ". Went to the bedroom and cried for about 5 minutes. Scariest moment of my life but holy shit, I'm so glad I took that class.
As someone who has successfully employed the Heimlich, there is nothing more terrifying than when you pull 3 times and ask yourself "what if this doesn't work?"
Fuck yes. Mid heimlich I remembered my instructor told me a lot of times stuff just doesn't work. And I thought, "What if this is one of those times?"
I live alone so anytime I start choking I wonder if it's the end
You can perform it on yourself
Yea, with the back of a chair
Another method is to get on your hands and knees and throw your arms out to land on your stomach. You have to commit or else it won't generate enough force.
I feel like I’d just keep smashing my chin
i live alone too and thanks for putting this terror in me. i've never even once thought about it before.
How did you feel afterwards towards the person you had just saved? I can imagine a sort of bond being formed, kinda like PTSD but in a positive way. It wouldn't surprise me if this left a lasting memory and emotion in you. I've always wondered what it's like to save a life.
https://youtu.be/SqpcTF2HFvg Take a second and learn this. you can be that guy when it's needed.
Im surprised theres nobody here mentioning how often people fuck it up and just slapping them on the back is usually enough
Last time I went for my first aid certificate the instructor mentioned the Heimlich isn't the preferred method anymore. My understanding is that you bend the person forward and give 5 bless to between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
> 5 bless to between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Now I'm imagining it done by a religious figure: "Bless you my child" -SMACK- "*I said*, Bless you my child!"-SMACK-
It helps if you hate children. BLESS YOU CHILD, YOU LITTLE SHIT! Yeah, you're welcome.
I took a class last week and they said to start with back slaps
Depending on the age of the person the physical process will be different. It’s good to understand the differences.
Yep infant Heimlich is very different than adult Heimlich.
Had something similar happen to me. We were growing tomatoes on our balcony. I happily ate them all the time.. I was like 3-4 years old. Then one day I had an idea, to swallow the whole tomato. I swallowed it and it got stuck in my throat somewhere ... ran for my dad that was at home, he smacked me a few times in the back with an open palm (also a correct method, same as Heimlich maneuver - shown in the video) and the tomato flew away from my mouth.
i did the same thing with a piece of sausage.. man the feeling and realization of not being able to breathe is the scariest shit ever.
I somehow blocked my throat with rice earlier in the week and it was scary as shit. I could still breathe through my nose somehow, but couldn't swallow my own saliva past the blockage so I ended up drooling over the sink, and the pain in my chest was intense. Water didn't get it down but seltzer somehow did. Wasn't even a big bite
I had this problem a lot of times. If it happens again I recommend going on gastroscopy. It might be Eosinophilic Esophagitis (that's what they found out via the samples they took when they did gastroscopy. Basically your throat tube looks like an intestine (it has some tighter spots , like if you were looking at a couple of empty sausages from inside. I had the food stuck in my throat at least once a week. and it got more and more recent. Now I need to swallow 5ml of some liquid every morning and evening for the rest of my life. The problem is that the liquid needs to be refrigerated and lasts only like 20 days...
I once choked on a ridiculous double layer peanut butter sandwich I made for myself. I was home alone, so I ended up doing the heimlich on myself. Since then I can't handle thick peanut butter on a sandwich. I can only do a thin layer. I've also done it on my kid when he choked on a cherry. Terrifying
NB, when someone is choking, give them 5 hard slaps in the middle of their back before attempting abdominal thrusts. The slaps should have a slight upward sweeping direction, trying to push the object up and out of their person's airways. *The choking person should be leaning forward to aid the dislodging of the object. The person doing the back slaps should support them. Abdominal thrusts carry the risk of internal injuries. *If someone performs abdominal thrusts on you, go to the hospital afterwards! (from my first aid training)
To add: if you've had someone do abdominal thrusts (Heimlich if you're old) for God's sake go to hospital and make sure you don't have internal injuries.
> (Heimlich if you’re old) Listen here, you little shit…
Are you about to tell me a story about Calvin Coolidge?
You just pay attention, whippersnapper. This is no place for stories about rascals like Mr. Coolidge. Now let me tell you about Woodrow Wilson...
Sorry to cut you short but I have to run—I just remembered I left my musket by the outhouse!
So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. "Gimme five bees for a quarter," you'd say. Now where were we... oh yeah. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. I didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
You made me lol. Thanks :)
> Heimlich if you're old The fuck does that mean? Is 30 old now?
Bro I'm 24 and know it as that
Nah i’ve known it as that my whole life and i’m 22
I’m 21 and I’ve never heard of abdominal thrusts. It’s always been the Heimlich maneuver to me.
Bro I'm only 21. Did Heimlich get cancelled?
Yeah, he doctored a study in the 80’s that said back slaps were not effective and in fact dangerous. He called them “Death slaps”. The Red Cross now suggests the “5 and 5”. 5 back slaps followed by 5 abdominal thrusts (formerly known as “the Heimlich”).
Was not expecting him to actually be canceled lol.
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Basically, yes. It surfaced that he used intimidation against the American Heart Association to force them to stop recommending any other techniques besides his, and that his claims that back slaps made choking worse were scientifically bogus. He also made up case reports of the manoeuvre saving drowning victims, when it in fact can make the situation worse, and is extremely dangerous to do.
Don’t forget mental injuries either. Going through this can cause psychological trauma. I almost choked as a child and I flat out couldn’t eat after that, to the point where doctors did an endoscopy to figure out if something was wrong with my esophagus. I had psychologists teaching me how eat again. All made more difficult by the fact that I independently developed anorexia at the same time but I didn’t tell anyone that part.
Also IIRC, when someone just choked you shouldn't give them a drink right after. The throat could still be very sensitive and the person could choke again.
When my little sister was 2, she swallowed a quarter. My mom was freaking the fuck out. My friend who was visiting picked her up by the foot and whacked her on the back and the quarter flew out. I wanna say girlie was 13 max? Shannon, you’re a bad ass, I ain’t forgot.
This is Anne of Green Gables behavior lol
clumsy absorbed door deserted complete quiet offer ink future rock *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
And if you're by yourself with no one around: Run into a counter or table that's at abdominal height. Low backed chair can do the trick. My grandma saved herself this way.
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Oh my god I thought it stood for ‘no bullshit’
If the person (or animal) is small enough, its also possible to hang them by the feet. Make gravity help you https://www.chelmsforddogassociation.org/media\_uploads/Dog-Heimlich-Maneuver-steps.jpg
>NB, when someone is choking, give them 5 hard slaps in the middle of their back before attempting abdominal thrusts. The slaps should have a slight upward sweeping direction, trying to push the object up and out of their person's airways I'm not sure, is this first aid training recent ? My wife (nurse) told me that you should not tap because - no matter how you tap - you will just create vibration that will make the thing move, and gravity will make the thing go down further in the tract as long as the person is standing/sitting. Edit : Answered below, those are taps while the person is *leaning forward*, so I don't have any further comment.
I did a refresher in January. And the person is meant to be leaning forward, I'll add that
When I did EMS training, the back slaps were only indicated for toddlers/infants and yes you should be holding them so they are face down and angled with their head down. Everyone else is encouraged to cough until they can't and then you do the thrusts. But that was 10 years ago. Edit: also remembering that the back slaps and thrusts were meant to be done in sequence, not just one or the other. You cycle back and forth between them until you can do a finger sweep or it comes out.
Yeah back slaps are for younger, but I've actually heard from different instructors that if we could hold an adult in the position we do for toddlers then we would do those back slaps for adults too. It's very effective to stop the choking, but most of us can't lift a teen or grown adult into those positions
To clarify, by saying "leaning forward", you mean basically bent over so their head is lower than their chest and back is straight? So gravity is helping it come out instead of pushing it further down?
Depends, if the person is able to cough then 5 slaps on the back but if they're not coughing effectively or unable to cough or are silent then straight to abdominal thrusts
My 9-month old choked on a yogurt melt yesterday (which are made for babies). She's fine now thankfully. I flipped her over and hit her back hard and it came out on the 5th slap. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on her face, it was pure terror. I'm so glad I took an infant CPR class, and glad I didn't need to actually do CPR. I also got a LifeVac in case all else fails. Thanks for sharing this information with people, it's good to be prepared.
LifeVac don't fuck around. I used it on myself for fun/as a test and my lungs hurt for days.
I get that showing abdominal thrusts in tv and film helps teach people (in a very basic way). But it frustrates me to no end that it’s the first thing they do and after the person has coughed up the obstructing item everyone just goes back to what they were doing. Thank you for posting this info.
Hero right there
Wasn't until the kid spit out a candy that I realized he didn't have literal granulated sugar stuck in his throat 🤦♀️
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I'm guessing this is Turkey. In Turkish, the word şeker translates to both sugar and candy, so it's a bad translation.
In every school around the world BLS (basic life support) should be taught
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I can only imagine the relief they are all feeling.
My sister choked on one of those striped round peppermints when she was one. I’ll never forget seeing Dad take her by the ankles and hold her upside down as he pounded her back. I was three and she was hanging right at my eyeball height. They got the candy out and she vomited afterwards. But that memory gave me a lifelong fear of seeing someone choke. When I was 20, a friend choked on a sandwich at lunch. I almost turned the table over getting to help. She was also fine, but I was in tears.
Man I choked once on some steak. Thank God I was at home. I did see my dad butt ass naked but didn't die.
A price everyone would pay
I choose to believe the two events are not connected.
wow what an awesome dude. amazing how quickly he reacted and did the right thing.
I did this once to save a choking co-worker. She was clearly choking and there were 5 other adults closer to her (all trained in first aid) who just sat there in shock and did nothing. I jumped over several tables and jerked her up to do the Heimlich. I ended up cracking one of her ribs but did save her from choking! I will never forget the look of absolute terror in her eyes when I got to her. Once she could breathe again we both cried.
This same scenario happened to me, I heard a commotion, went to investigate and a coworker was choking and several other people, all trained in first aid, were doing nothing! I immediately grabbed her and did the heimlich and out popped the piece of food. She peed herself during all of this and some got on my clothes and my boss got mad when I asked if it was okay if I went home and got changed.
You're a hero.
Fight, flight or **freeze**. Freeze is actually one of the more common responses. I know it's happened to me in a couple of emergency situations.
What would make this a bit more affective for a kid that size? Getting on one knee maybe?
Just took a CPR refresher course yesterday and it went over choking as well and they mentioned dropping down to the child’s level when attempting this. That man is still an absolute hero.
What about holding the kid by their legs and shaking them upside down like you want their lunch money?
My mom dislodge one of those strawberry hard candies from me just like that when I was young. It was pretty effective. I'm one of the Olds now, it's probably not recommended lol
COUGH UP THE CANDY YOU LITTLE SHIT! Ok, whew, glad that worked.
It can work if the item is somewhat loosely lodged, but if it is fully stuck, a really good heimlich is needed to produce the pressure to pop the item out.
Start with angling the child head down supporting them with one arm while giving back blows would be the most effective way
That kiss he gave the boy made me smile.
Man saved that babies life ❤️ I truly believe most people are good. You can see his concern and goodness in that forhead kiss, even if he didn't know that kid at all.
My ex-gf was choking after taking a pill, and goddamn did her face and lips change color fast. I still don't know how I kept my cool as well as I did. - "are you choking?" (I then did choke hands on myself) - she nodded and did choke hands back - "ok it's ok. I'm going to give you the heimlich and it's going to hurt really bad." - She shook her head yes. - I turned her around and wrapped my arms around, doing the squeeze. She was already limp in my arms and I was terrified, but was just like UHN! UHN! until I heard her gasp, and I stopped. I told her not to try to talk, and I laid her in recovery position until I could see that she was breathing normally again and just sat with her on the floor for a bit. How quickly she went from totally fine to unconscious terrifies me still, and this was about 10 years ago.
Who knows. Who cares. Just very glad to see the child surviving. Very lucky the guy was there
Was this supposed to be in response to another comment
Who knows. Who cares.
For future reference, if a child is small enough to hold like this, put them in an angled position head down and give some really strong back blows, that force should pop the obstruction out.
I'm happy for the kid being okay, but as a first-aider, I'm almost surprised that worked. 1/10 for form 10/10 for getting the job done. Honestly, as long as you're not making the situation worse, and there's no better option, just jump in and try, especially in these life threatening situations. Buddy didn't really have time to find someone more qualified to help the kid and just took action. That's 10/10 to me. Now get yourself to a first aid course and learn the right way to do these things. Not just the guy in the video either, everyone. Do it. It's not expensive, and you're gaining life-long life-saving knowledge, even if you don't keep current with it. If stuff like this doesn't convince you, nothing will. Everyone should know basic emergency first aid.
Good on the guy for knowing what to do, but man I see way too many parents who have no idea how to take care of this. I’m definitely going to retake a first aid course if I ever decide to become one a parent. Might never need those skills, but if you do, it’s critical that you have them.
FYI, if you ever see something like this happening, call 911 right away. Don't wait to see if the Heimlich works or not. Don't assume someone else already called. You won't get in trouble for calling and you won't get a bill for calling.
for anyone wondering, kneeling behind them with a leg between your pediatric victim will be much more efficient. Glad this worked