How I helped save a child’s life with first aid

Guest post by Aaron Jackson in Saskatoon who recently received a Red Cross Rescuer Award. 
 
As I was driving I noticed a young lady running down her front driveway shouting for help at a white SUV in front of me. The SUV didn’t stop. The young lady then shouted to me for help, so I pulled over right away. I got out of my truck and ran across the road to find another young lady at the side of the house with a small baby on her knees. She was crying, saying that her baby had choked on her lunch and wasn’t breathing.

Aaron Jackson being presented with his Rescuer Award by Red Cross representative Barry Salmond. 

I asked if I could have a look at the child as I’d just learned First Aid. (When I checked with my First Aid trainer she told me it was a month to that day that I had learned First Aid). The lady agreed to let me help. I could see right away that something was serious as the child was lifeless. Her arms were like jelly flopped down beside her and there was no sign of movement. I took her onto my knees with her head facing down and started to pat on her back as I’d been shown by my First Aid trainer. This went on for about a minute until I heard the child sort of cough as if she released something. But she was still not moving. I turned her around slowly to see if she was breathing and checked her mouth to make sure it was clear. She bit my finger which I thought was a good sign. I then checked her breathing by putting my ear close to her mouth and nose and looking down her chest. I heard a heavy breath through her nose every few seconds but there was still no movement.

I then heard sirens coming closer, to which I was relieved as I wasn’t 100% sure what to do if something else went wrong. The lady who pulled me over had called 911 for help. While we waited I spoke to the mother reassuring her that the baby was going to be fine and that I could hear breathing. I asked her what she had choked on, just trying to keep her calm, she told me the child had hotdogs and that she started choking in the basement so she carried her outside for help as she wasn’t sure what to do. By this time the Ambulance and Police had arrived. The Paramedic asked the mother questions while caring for the child. They told me that whatever was stuck in her throat was now out and the child was very tired from choking for so long and that was why there wasn’t much movement from her. The Paramedic then picked up the child and took her in the Ambulance with the Mother.

The other lady who pulled me over thanked me for stopping. As I was driving off I started to feel emotional as I kept picturing the baby’s face unconscious with white foam around her nose.
The next morning I called the same address to see if the child was ok, I brought a singing teddy bear for her to hopefully cheer her up. The lady who had pulled me over told me that they kept her in the hospital overnight for monitoring. So the following Friday I stopped by their house again to see if she was better and also to see her face as I could only remember her unconscious. This time the mother was there with the child and her husband. They were very thankful that I stopped to help, especially her husband. The child was very playful with me as if nothing had happened which was great to see.

I never expected to be in a situation like that while I was taking my First Aid training and definitely not so fast after I had learned it. Thanks to my employer for putting me in that First Aid class. Together with my employer, myself and my First Aid trainer we maybe saved this 19 month-old baby girl’s life.

Sign up for a Red Cross First Aid class and you too could save a life!

Aaron Jackson with his First Aid instructor Sara Gallagher.