We live in a society where, despite hitches, it is capable of reacting fast enough to save a life, which is the following case.
Policía Nacional officers inside the southern-district precinct in Granada heard a commotion outside and went to investigate. A couple came running up with a clearly unconscious child in the father’s arms..
It was 16.30h on Monday and the child was neither breathing nor had a pulse. Immediately the officers went through the Heimlich manoeuvre in order to clear his respiratory passage. Fortunately, the 9-year-old boy began to breath, albeit shallowly and regained a pulse.
Meanwhile in the police station someone had phoned for a UVI (medicalised) ambulance. Whilst they waited the officers kept the child’s airway clear. The paramedics took 15 minutes to stabilised the boy’s condition so that he could be rushed to hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU.
Hours later the officers contacted the family to find out how the child was and were told that the boy had undergone medical tests but that he was out of danger.
(News: City & Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)
Hence my mother’s nagging about chewing food and small chunks and I thought she was just a mummsy nag!
Seen this in my work and experienced it in real life; I choked on a blooming piece of prawn in Negumbo, Sri Lanka. Staff just gawped. Luckily my wife, Nursey, is made of sterner stuff. Big back thumps and the the Heimlich maneuver. Poor prawn!
Sad really she could have got both houses, will monies and pension. 😊
When the American Red Cross introduced back blows to its official guidelines on treating choking, Dr Heimlich disagreed that back blows should be used and asked that his name be removed from the guidelines. Leading to the renaming of the Heimlich manouvre as an Abdominal thrust.