My toddler went blue as he choked on food I was telling him off for stealing

A MUM has retold the heart-stopping moment her son went blue in the face as he choked on food he’d stolen and stuffed into his mouth.

Amiee Eaton, 20, had to think fast and save Tobi’s life within minutes, but admits she was “petrified”.

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It comes as new statistics show that two in five parents wouldn’t feel confident performing first aid on their child.

The same proportion wouldn’t have a clue what to do for some key emergencies, like a seizure or severe burn.

The British Red Cross, which polled 2,000 British parents, said confidence was “concerningly” low.

Mothers are especially fearful. For example, 65% would be worried about being alone with a child who is not breathing or responsive, while only 44% of dads would.

The British Red Cross encourages people to refresh their first aid knowledge in honor of World First Aid Day.

Experts suggest that parents can still learn important and potentially life-saving skills while waiting to boil the kettle.

“He turned blue instantly”

Aimee Eaton (age 20) was able to put her first aid skills into practice within a day of learning them.

Aimee was in Sussex with her 18-month old son Tobi, just before the November 2020 lockdown.

She was giving Tobi and some friends their dinner, when she spotted him take a handful of food from another child’s plate.

“I went over to tell him you shouldn’t steal food,” She said. “But as I went to take it off him, he shoved the food into his mouth without chewing.”

Tobi was gassy for about 30 seconds before Aimee realized that the food had lodged in his throat.

“He just stopped and instantly started turning blue,” Amiee agreed. “He looked as though he wanted to be sick but couldn’t.

“I was absolutely petrified.”

Aimee first tried to deliver blows to Tobi’s back while he stood straight before tipping him over her knee, so his head was pointing to the floor.

“I smacked upwards on his back between his shoulders four or five times before the food came out,” She said.

“I was scared to smack him too hard – it goes against everything you believe in. But I also knew that I couldn’t let him choke.”

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Fortunately, just the day before, Aimee had taken a virtual first aid course with the British Red Cross.

She said: “If I hadn’t had that training, I honestly don’t know what I would have done. I would probably have panicked or shouted for help.

“My friend was there and she was freaking out worse than I was.”

Tobi, now two, has since recovered. However, his mother is on a mission for all parents to be trained in first aid.

“Definitely do the first aid training. It’s free, doesn’t take long, and can save someone’s life,” She explained.

Learn as you make a cuppa

Ken Fraser, First Aid Clinical Manager at the British Red Cross said: “If people don’t feel confident in their first aid skills, then they may be more hesitant about delivering first aid, which is concerning.

“Doing first aid is really important for reducing the seriousness of any injury or accident.

“Kids are always picking up bumps and scrapes – learning first aid can help you feel more confident treating minor injuries at home and knowing when to get medical attention, which is key.

“Even if you’re first aid trained, you should still call 999 in an emergency, or 111 if you are unsure and need advice.”

Ken stated that although first aid can seem overwhelming, it is not difficult to perform.

“It can take as little as one minute to learn a new skill, so while you are waiting for the kettle to boil or watching an advert break.

“You could be learning a lifesaving skill.”

What is the best first aid information?

Each emergency situation is unique, including choking and CPR.

However, knowing the basics will increase your confidence and allow you to act instead of panicking.

For parents, there is the British Red Cross baby and child first aid app which is free to download.

Alternatively, there are copious free resources for learning first aid on the website: redcross.org.uk/first-aid.

These include first aid for:

1. A baby or child who is choking
2. A baby or child who is bleeding heavily
3. A baby who is unresponsive and breathing (or not breathing)
4. A baby or child who is having an epileptic seizure
5. A baby or child who is having an febrile seizure
6. A baby or child who is having an asthmatic attack
7. A baby or child who may have a broken bone
8. A baby or child who has a burn
9. A baby or child who has a head injury
10. A baby or child who has swallowed something harmful
11. A baby or child suspected to have meningitis
12. A baby or child who had a severe allergic reaction
13. A baby or child with croup

There are also tips for how to deal with heat exhaustion, a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and a nosebleed.