Do you think new parents.....?

Question

I had a good friend from out of State call me tonight and told me a story of her and husband out at dinner earlier this evening. Another couple there in the restaurant had a 3 mo old that choked on a small piece of food...the child was fine, but the parent's did not know CPR or the Heimlich Manuever to dislodge the piece of food.
It raises the question of whether parent's when in the hospital or whatever place they have their children should be taught these lifesaving procedures before they leave with their infants?
Personally, I feel the answer is yes. What would have happened to this baby tonight if that had happened in their home? It would have taken critical time for EMS services to show up and could have been the difference between life and death or serious injury to the brain due to lack of oxygen if the parent's hadn't been able to get it dislodged.

As far as what the baby was eating I don't know. It could have been rice cereal for all I know. The question wasn't whether or not infants should be eating whatever....it is about parent's knowing lifesaving techniques. This could have been a 9 mo old eating baby peas. Children of all ages choke and alot of parent's don't know these procedures. Most won't go out and get the education for it themselves..so should it be done in the hospital was the question.

to the poster "MOMMA" YES you can give the Heimlich to an infant. It is different than for adults....I rest my case.

One other note "Momma" you are only supposed to sweep the throat once...if you can't feel the object you are supposed to cease as you could lodge the object ( whatever it is ) further down. Perhaps you should really consider a CPR/ First Aid course.

Answer 1

I absolutely agree. Parents should be required to take a CPR/first aid class if they are not responsible enough to do it on their own. I was formerly a public school teacher and we CANNOT even get our teaching credential renewed without taking a First Aid/CPR class. (Yes, over and over every time we need to renew our credential.) I guess a person is not allowed to jeapordize the lives of other children, but if you want to put your own child in danger it is okay. Doctors often ask or give parents questionaires about whether they know what to do if a child is choking, etc. but I assume parents put "Yes" whether they do or not and I don't know what the doctor would do if he/she got a different answer. I really hope hospitals begin offering classes in first aid/CPR as free prenatal classes along with breastfeeding, newborn care, labor/delivery, and so on. It is just as important, if not more!

Answer 2

I agree 110%! Before leaving the hospital after my son's birth they did not require me to know anything other then how to strap him in to his car seat! I thought it was ridiculous. I've been around children and childcare my whole life. There are great courses that the Red Cross offers (most of the time they are free) that really teach lifesaving techniques and safety well.

I have been renewing my one year CPR course because if the situation ever came up I would need to know what to do and how to do it quickly. I feel this is important and if parents took these courses they would be able to save their children's lives.

Are you aware that more than 17,000 (!) infants and children are treated for choking related incidents per year? That's so shocking to me! I'm sure had (some) parents taken at least the most basic of lifesaving courses there would be less risk and the average would decrease.

Alas, we all seem to have the ridiculous notion that “it will never happen to me.” Unfortunately, things like chocking and other accidents do happen—without notice. We cannot know what to do unless we already have the knowledge we need.

So, yes, like I said I agree that there should be MANY requirements (not only CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver) in order to leave a hospital (or adoption agency) with a child.

Answer 3

I totally agree! If my mom didn't know the Heimlich I would not be around today- I used to choke all the time as a kid- once I was 7, sitting in the car with my mom waiting for my sister to get out of school and eating candy hearts. My mom said something that made me laugh and I choked. I also once choked on a piece of ice by laughing and a piece of string cheese while skipping through the house. I even choked at age 20 when my boyfriend came over for dinner to meet my family. Anyone can choke. The Heimlich is important for everyone to know- you never know when you may need it...especially parents.

Answer 4

I am a father of 4 and a Red Cross instructor.

I agree with you in principle, but wonder how useful it would be. 'Required' learning is the stuff we pay least attention to and forget the first. The family in question probably had some exposure to what to do, or at least was told no solid foods- and they ignored it. It is my experience that just teaching some people does not mean they learned it.

If we require the education, we need to do a cost/risk analysis on it- what does it cost to do, and how many people will it save? Thankfully, not many kids choke- only about 17,000 children and infants are seen in ERs every year.

You can say 'if it only saves one life it is worth it', but that is not realistic. There are about 4,000,000 births in the US every year. if it costs as little as $10 to educate each parent, that is 40 million dollars for this one issue.

Considering the many issues involved in raising a healthy child, this is a lot of money for something that will only affect an average of 1 in a thousand infants- and something that is better dealt with by prevention than reaction.

Answer 5

I think it's a good idea. When my son was about 11 months he was eating an animal cracker and it just turned into a big ball of goo that got caught. I was so glad that when I was in 7th grade we were taught cpr and the heimlich for kids and adults because I think he'd have choked to death on it otherwise (he did start turning a real deep purple) I think it's a good thing for everyone to know whether they have kids or not.

Answer 6

I think every parent should know these life saving techniques. I have a reminder poster hanging up on my wall for just in case, I have a reference. I know with the birth of my first daughter I was given a handbook that had the procedures in it and hot lines to make an appointment for the free classes offered by the hospital. It's important for parents to know all they can when it comes to the safety of their children. A first aide class is very important for parents and expectant parents! But I believe it should be a free course offered to whom ever wants to take it.

Answer 7

A three month old will choke on any food because they are not suppose to have any besides breast or formula, and about the rest you are right before having my 2 year old my older children and husband and i were all CPR certified adult and child now we also have a 3month old and i am confident in leaving either child with my 16 14 or 11 year old and would never leave them with someone not certified

Answer 8

Everytime I have left the hospital with one of my children I was given a plethera of informative material. A first aid information book was always included. It does have plenty of information on the heimlich and CPR. The only thing they require parents to pass off is a short movie and course on shaken baby syndrome.

They figure everyone will have comon sense enough to take care of the rest on their own.

I hope common sense has kicked in for these two. Too many people believe "It will never happen to me".

Answer 9

I was not allowed to remove my 1st daughter from the hospital until I had taken their infant CPR training class because she was a preemie with sleep apnea. I think it was a great condition to get your child home with you. Though it is not required at my hospital for babies with no issues, there is a video shown in your hospital rooms available and suggested for you to watch and I don't know what kind of parent WOULDN'T watch them. I think you are 100% correct.

Answer 10

when my grandkids were born, a nurse went over these things with my daughter. I was glad of that.

However, I wonder what would happen if a very frightened and over-zealous parent used the Heimlich on a small infant? Isn't there a serious danger of breaking tiny bones? Maybe even a danger of accidentally killing the child or causing shaken baby syndrome?