My sister hosted a sheva brachos for a friend last night in NY. During the seuda, her almost 4-year-old daughter was sucking on a hard candy and seriously choked. Baruch Hashem the chassan knew the Heimlich Maneuver and the candy popped out right before Hatzola ran in.
I had this years ago with my daughter at the age of 2. A family member gave her a hard lolly pop and the stick fell off. She threw it out and we thought she was done the lolly. My father was making a pre-seuda kiddush and she drank from a becher. Unfortunately the lolly went down with the kiddush. I noticed something was wrong right away but she was still able to make sound, I yelled out to call Hatzola and I started the Heimlich. BH I was successful right away and my family was in shock, no one believed me that the candy was in her throat. Hatzola checked to make sure her breathing was ok, which it was, and so they left.
Please, do not give these candies to little kids and check with your pediatrician what age a child can have hard candies. Do not send send these treats for shabbos parties, siyums or any party that involves little kids. You do not wish to be responsible for hurting another person.
Thank you for reading this.
Mrs. R,
Lakewood.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected])
I have been begging schools for years not to allow these types of candies to be given out.
I still recall I was in elementary school, maybe 7th or 8th grade and a girl in my class choked on something, during recess in the classroom.
I don’t remember what the item was, but it could have been a candy.
We had just recently learned the Heimlich maneuver and another girl successfully performed it. It is important to be very careful with these things, torn piece of a balloon, popcorn, etc.
My pediatrician once told me he wouldn’t advise balloons in a house with young children at all.
Wow. So sorry for your scar. Please don’t allow small kids to suck on hard candies. Schools and all adults should be educated on the serious hazards of hard candies and lollipops. I am scared to give them to my kids and they are a bit older.
I happen to be the hatzalah guy who ran in. Please, please, please, learn the Heimlich maneuver. Every person should know this valuable life saving skill.