Choking on a piece of food can be a very scary experience, especially for young children
If you’ve ever choked on a small item before, then you can only imagine how overwhelmingly terrifying it can be for a parent to experience their child going through it. The fact that it can happen at a moment’s notice puts many parents on the fringe when it actually occurs and can leave many panicking on what to do next.
It was a normal Friday at El Rodeo restaurant in Decatur, Illinois.
Everything was going fine until suddenly, the unexpected happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, a baby began to cough heavily and progressed to repeated heaves for air. The nightmarish episode would’ve turned for the worse, if not for an unlikely hero who happened to save the day.
16-year old sophomore Chase Eller was sharing a meal with his girlfriend, Rylie Rhodes, 15, when he started to hear a bizarre cough come from a baby.
“It all happened in like a 10-second time span,” Eller told TODAY. “At first I didn’t think anything of the coughing. But then I looked over and I could see the baby was having a tough time breathing. I could see pretty obviously that the baby was choking.”
Before his act of heroism, Mom attempted to do her part by sticking her fingers inside the baby’s mouth to try and scoop the contents out of its throat. However, this is a method that you should abstain from since it could actually make the blockage worse. Eller realized this and decided to step into action.
This is why you pay attention in health class!
Through his semester-long health class, Eller learned that the right thing to do would be to flip the baby upside down and attempt to dislodge whatever piece of food was blocking the baby’s airway. Eller approached the Mom in distress and asked her if it would be alright for him to assist. His instinct was right, and soon enough the baby was able to spit out the obstruction from his mouth.
“When you know a baby is choking, you tip the baby upside down and you kind of put them on your arm at a specific angle. You sometimes have to give the baby a few back blows,” he said. “And whatever is lodged in the baby’s throat will hopefully come out easier than if the baby was sitting straight up.”
The baby’s mom was happy to see her child breathing perfectly and recovering. She was ever so grateful as she continuously praised Eller for his act of valor and determination to come to her baby’s aid.
“She just kept saying thank you. She was really grateful.” The sophomore from Sullivan High School said.
A cardiologist from New York, Dr. Holly Andersen, says that if an infant begins to choke, then you should sit down with the infant face down on your forearm and thigh. Next, you should use the opposite hand to apply gentle force with your palm on the infant’s back in order to really propel the choking hazard out of the airway.
Eller praised his dad, an 18-year old veteran of Moultrie County, as his reason for always being ready to help anyone that may need it.
“I feel like me growing up around all police officers and first responders, I just kind of have that instinct (to help). I get that from my dad,” Eller said.
In addition, his health professor, Bales, was hugely responsible for his lesson on how to handle this specific situation. His contribution to making learning fun and enjoyable has helped Eller maintain composure in situations such as this one. So much so that he has received multiple congratulatory comments from people around the country!
“Your ability to act under pressure is something to be proud of. So glad the baby is OK,” one commented and, “What could have been the worst day of these parent’s lives is now an amazing story to tell, “wrote another one.
Let this be a lesson for anyone involved in choking situations.
Stay calm, remember the applicable skills, and offer a lending hand to anyone who may need it. Thank you Chase for being a leader, a role model, and a grand inspiration to all who aspire to make a difference in the world!
If you’re wondering what to do when a baby chokes, be sure to watch the video below to find out more.
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