8 year old choking

[crisgal]

my son was choking on a sweet yesterday morning and after about 10 back slaps and then 4 or 5 abdominal thrusts, it finally game out.

It was very upsetting for us all, and I'm so glad my paediatric (sp?) first aid training kicked in and worked.

It never occured to me though, until just now, that maybe he should have seen a dr to check his tummy was ok.
I don't know why - I was in a bit of a daze all day.
I remembered to tuck in my thumb and he seems fine, and has eaten and drank since then.
Do you think it's too late now anyway?

[annadomino]

About 8 years too late.

[Buenchico]

He's probably OK but watch him closely and remember that you need to be watching for anything unusual, not just 'tummy related' things. For example, he he reported feeling light-headed that could be an indicator of spleen damage.

Chris

[Mamyalynne]

Am sure if anything was untoward you would know, happened to us too and certain sweets were banished for a good while, even with training is scary.

[ELVIS68]

Backslaps are ok, not sure on the age limit to do the thrusts, best go to the docs just to be on the safe side

[Maydup]

Well done crisgal for keeping your cool and doing the right thing. I'm sure he'll be fine now and just a little sore.

[crisgal]

oh my goodness, he's complained of neck pain on one side chris - i am so worried now!

[crisgal]

what on earth do you mean annadomino??

[Buenchico]

If in doubt, phone NHS Direct on 08 45 46 47

[crisgal]

he's fast asleep. do you think it's related? Should i phone them now?

[roxie_09]

If you're really worried it's no harm giving the NHS direct a phone and asking their advice. As already said he might just be a bit sore, hiss muscles in his throat and baack etc would have been working to try and dislodge he sweet itself so may explain why they are painful? Well done though many would have panicked and not
Known what to do xx

[Buenchico]

If it was definitely his neck that was hurting, it's probably unrelated (but it might be best to phone anyway - just to get some reassurance). However if the pain was closer to his left shoulder you need to act swiftly:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...rupturedspleen1.shtml

[Sqad]

Stop worrying ..fast asleep....no harm will have been done.

[crisgal]

hi sqad - i wish i'd have seen your post in the night.
i lay awake all night watching him sleeping!
He really does seem fine, he's been out on his bike and been swinging, sliding and trampolening!
Chris's link scared me to death!
Bl00dy hell this parenting malarky is tough innit? ♥

[Sqad]

crisgal...I quite understand, these "links " do more harm than good and very rarely are helpful and quite often evoke panic. I think that posters give them in good faith, but after saying that I feel that the majority are either impossible to digest or are totally inappropriate.

Well done on the First aid.

[Mamyalynne]

Result Cris! They scare the living daylights out of you, then off to the park as if nothing happened, you kept calm and well done.

[cathfromsaron]

as a grandmother, i say if they are eating and running around they are fine!

but go to the GP on monday if you are still concerned!xx

[Buenchico]

Sorry for scaring you, Crisgal, but I always to prefer to 'err on the side of caution'.

When I was in charge of first aid in a secondary school, I often had 'sick' (rather than 'injured') pupils referred to me. Over a dozen years I had quite a few with pains in their sides, which might have indicated appendicitis. I ensured that they were all checked out by a doctor (usually at the local A&E unit). Unsurprisingly, there were many 'false alarms' but, just once, it really was appendicitis.

Similarly, if a student complained of feeling faint or queasy, I always asked if they'd recently banged their head or neck. That resulted in quite a few kids being checked for possible concussion. Again, there were loads of false alarms but one boy, who had fallen of his bike a day earlier, really had fractured his skull.

Also, when someone said that they felt queasy, particularly if they'd got a headache, I looked for signs of meningitis (such as aversion to light or the distinctive rash). I still feel terrible about the fact that I was away on a course when a 14-year-old pupil was simply sent home by the deputy headmistress, after she had said that she felt really ill. She died of meningitis the following day.

So, even though I risk being called a 'scaremonger', I hope that you'll understand why I will always consider the worst possibilities.

Chris

[crisgal]

totally understand chris - thank you ♥