Choking Toddler
Friday was one of those horrible days when there are more calls than call takers, and there is always a red flashing sign above our heads telling us how many calls are waiting to be taken. Frustratingly, I always get seem to get stuck on a call with a dozy carer who doesn’t understand English (or any other language) or an RTA where no one knows where they are while ten people are waiting to be answered. You are always conscious of the fact that the calls waiting could be a lot more serious than the one you are “stuck” on.
Unfortunately, my fears were realised as I took a call which had been queueing for about a minute. The call was a panicky nursery nurse.
“This is Snowball Nursery in Southall, ” she said, “we have a little boy choking on a rice cake!”
This was a proper case of complete obstruction choking — quite rare for us to come across as call takers, as most people realise that they have to do something straight away and don’t have time to wait for an ambulance. Most of the choking calls we get are cases of partial obstruction, where all we do is encourage the patient to cough it up themselves and wait for the ambulance (back slapping in this case may encourage the obstruction to move and completely block the airway). The toddler was completely unable to breathe, turning blue and losing consciousness. The nursery staff had tried backslaps and the Heimlich manoeuvre without successful.
I was glad I had the AMPDS software in front of me to prompt me, because this was a situation I had never dealt with before. I could give the instructions for an unconscious or suspended patient without even glancing at it, but definitely not a choking patient. AMPDS may be useless for categorising calls but as far as giving instructions goes, I can’t fault it. After telling it the child’s age, current condition and what the nursery had already done, it told me that the next thing they should try is to straddle the child (who was now collapsed on the floor) and give an abdominal thrust from above. I passed this on to the nursery nurse, who instructed the child’s mother to do that. It’s not often that you get to tell people to punch a toddler in the stomach! She did this, making a delightful squidging sound, and the nursery nurse went to inspect the outcome.
“He looks a little less blue… yes, I can see that he’s breathing!” she exclaimed.
I told her to look in the little boy’s mouth and fish out the offending rice cake. This she did.
“Youch!” she cried. “He bit me! Oh well, I suppose that’s a good sign…”
At this point the toddler started to cry.
“Oh, thank god for that!” said the nursery nurse, “I’ve never been so happy to hear a child crying!”
Suddenly she burst into tears and so did the child’s mother. It’s not often you hear people crying with relief/happiness so I even started to feel a bit misty eyed myself. I was really glad that they waited until the child was okay to fall to pieces. Actually, this is something I have noticed before — people crack up and are useless when their parent is the patient, but when it’s their children they somehow manage to hold it together and do as they told. Perhaps it’s some kind of primitive instinct which makes you protect your offspring, but expect to be protected by your parents. Anyway, it was a couple more minutes until the ambulance arrived, so I had a nice chat with the nursery nurse as she pulled herself together. She asked for my name, so perhaps they will send me a thank you letter. I hope so; I have never had a thank you letter before and if someone sends you one you get your name in LAS news!
Anyway, that was one of the most exciting calls I have ever taken. I do love happy endings!
on December 16th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
That’s awesome. We were taught about what to do with choking kids the other day and, frankly, I would still be absolutely bricking it if presented with one.
on December 16th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
Wow, what a scary call! Good job with your instructions.
on December 16th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
I was a bit aprehensive to click on this link as I saw the title.. but thank all fweck that worked out, that would not be a good christmas for one poor family.
I nearly choked on a sausage when I was young.. it’s really scary.
on December 16th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
Nice one! Guess we are a bit like Vets really, being bitten is a sign of the patient getting better.
SD
;-)
on December 16th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
You’ve saved a child’s life. You can now feel proud of yourself for the rest of your life. Well done.
Rob
on December 16th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
I’m picturing you, feverishly typing symptoms into the database, knowing that a fumbled key could be the difference between life and death. I’m pretty sure I would have cracked under the strain (i.e. fumbled a key) and got back instructions on how to deal with heart attack and had to go off and start a new life in the South Seas. I guess that’s why I’m not a dispatcher.
Good for you! And thanks for giving all of us the happy ending!
on December 17th, 2006 at 12:10 am
Congrats - Sounds like one of those calls that makes the job worth doing.
I had my second BBA today - the first being while still in training - its another one of those protocols we don’t often get to fully carry out as the crew usually arrive and finish off (HMPH!)
. A natural high is always the best way to start the day.
However, today one Father became very chuffed with himself and one little girl joined the world (and mum was just tired!!)
on December 17th, 2006 at 1:44 am
[…] Nee Naw […]
on December 17th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Glad all went ok with that call. I’d have been totally bricking it. Well done!
on December 17th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Well done Mate! Hope it makes all the crap seem worthwhile
on December 17th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
Great job, Mike. Altough we do this kind of thing every day it’s a great feeling to actually help someone instead of nurse-maid a drunk or moron. I hope you get the thank you note. I’ve been doing this 8 years and haven’t gotten one yet. Sad isn’t it. I know they flutter from the heavens like snowflakes over firefighters and policemen, but never the dispatcher.
on December 17th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Sorry, “great job, Mark, not Mike”
on December 17th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
*Applaud*
Bloody well done to you!
on December 17th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Very well done. I hope you do get that thank you letter.
on December 18th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Send me the address and I’ll write a thank you letter to you. I’d like to thank you for teaching me so much through your blog.
That was a touching post, and a scary one. I’m glad there was a happy ending.
on December 18th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Congratulations for two things:
1.) Saving the child’s life. He would without a doubt have been dead by the time the crew arrived (that’s no disrespect to the crew there - kiddies just go off quick).
and
2.) Finding the first good use for AMPDS…
on December 19th, 2006 at 7:03 am
Congrats!
Those one in a million jobs where you make a difference and remember why your doing this job in the first place!
on December 19th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
Phew, well done you!
For me, as a community first responder a call to a choking patient gets even more adrenaline pumping than a cardiac arrest. (if it were a child, you could multiply fear by factor of 10, but we don’t get deployed to the under 12’s)
Experts, is it true that if a patient becomes unconscious that the muscle spasm in the throat may relax and you have a better chance of the abdominal trust shifting the obstruction? I think I might find that a reassuring thought to have in my head.
10 years ago my baby was BBA and we got to take him in to control a few weeks later to meet the dispatcher, and say thanks for the calm words that ‘held my hand’ till the crew arrived
on December 20th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
[…] Nee Naw […]
on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:39 am
Oh fabulous - that’s a happy Christmas for everyone and to you too. I hope you get that letter.
on December 23rd, 2006 at 1:30 am
Happy Christmas Mike
on December 25th, 2006 at 2:17 am
Fantastic! It is rare that one gets a nice ending in such a unique way and it is even rarer to feel good about a success story - often we think success is expected of us and we don’t take the credit or pride for it but take it for granted.
On the other hand, a poor outcome usually drags its way home with us, giving us a sleepless night and the next night and the next night.
So way to go! Well done,
Judy on the Twilight Shift
http://www.scrubbingup.com/blogs/twilight/blog.asp
on December 25th, 2006 at 10:42 am
Congradulations way to go my overseas friend!!! I am a Dispatcher in Lebanon NH USA. In NH all of our EMD (I suspect same as your AMPD’s) are done by the state in a central office in Concord NH. Thank God since I work alone on the midnight shift I just would want to be giving instructions and talking to responding PD/FD and EMS pers.
I hope you get that letter my friend!! Oh and Merry Christmas!!!
on December 29th, 2006 at 12:24 am
nice one, well done
be good n all the other generic holliday greetings
on December 31st, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Britblog Roundup #97 AND 98
Yes, this week we have a unique double issue of the roundup of your nominations for those blog posts we should all be reading. Several reasons, I forgot to do one on Chrsitmas Eve, few people are blogging at this