On December 3, my 11-month-old child was saved by her uncle, Chris Cannon – a real guardian angel.
Send your letters to bctletters@caxton.co.za.
My mom (her granny), Ann Cannon, was feeding her cereal when suddenly she started to choke.
My mother immediately took her out of her feeding chair and tried to tap her back in an attempt to clear whatever was making her choke, with no success.
She raised the alarm and my brother ran and grabbed her out of my mom’s arms.
My mom then grabbed her Community Policing Forum (CPF) radio and urgently requested the assistance of Charlie Seven (an emergency response vehicle).
My daughter battled to clear what was in her throat but her uncle just persevered and wouldn’t give up.
He kept hitting her on her back, facing her downwards.
She started to go limb in his arms.
She then started to be sick, with a tiny bit of blood in it.
He hooked his fingers in her mouth and managed to dislodge a small piece of plastic.
By this time members of the CPF had arrived on scene, as well as Charlie Seven and company.
He found a tiny piece of clear plastic stuck on her lip.
It was discovered that it had, in fact, come off of her feeding bowl.
There is a thin layer of film that had come off the plate and got stuck in her throat.
My daughter was transported to the Life the Glynnwood Hospital for observation and treatment with antibiotics, to prevent any pneumonia from setting in.
She is happy and in good spirits.
I would just like to bring this to the attention to other parents who may have these plastic feeding bowls, that are easily available in most shops. They are extremely dangerous.
What happened could have been fatal, but, thanks to the quick-thinking and perseverance of her uncle, she is alive and for that we are truly grateful.
It was also brought to our attention by the doctor that most people don’t know what to do in the event that an infant starts choking.
It is vital that people familiarise themselves with the necessary procedure should this happen.
We, as parents, cannot thank her uncle enough.
He saved her life and we are eternally grateful.
Thanks also to the ER24 medics and other CPF members, who arrived within minutes.
We, as a family, cannot thank you enough for your quick response.
You may also be interested in:
