Lindsay praises Red Cross video after grape lodges in son’s throat

Lindsay praises Red Cross video after grape lodges in son’s throat

18 January 2017

A BALLYNAHINCH mum has credited a charity’s social media posts with saving her child’s life.

Lindsay Ritchie says first aid advice posted online by the Red Cross meant she knew what to do when her four year-old son choked on a grape.

Lindsay was horrified when the accident happened shortly after Logan arrived home from nursery school.

She said they had just said goodbye to his granda, who had picked him up from school, when Logan suddenly stopped chatting about his day.

Quickly realising that a grape was lodged in his throat, she said she remembered a first aid video she had seen on Facebook earlier that week and said the techniques she had watched proved invaluable.

Although she panicked, she said she knew to hit his back between the shoulder blades three times.

After these blows, Logan spat the grape onto the floor.

“We’d just said goodbye to his granda who’d picked him up from nursery for me and Logan was busy telling me about his day and eating some grapes he’d brought home,” she said.

“Suddenly his face started turning purple. He was flapping his arms, and I couldn’t hear anything from his throat except a gurgling noise. 

“I was looking at him, and looking at what he was eating, and suddenly I realised that he was choking.”

Lindsay admitted her mind went black before she remembered the life-saving Red Cross advice.

“I always click on the British Red Cross first aid videos on Facebook because I have two accident-prone children,” she said.

“Every time I see them I watch them through to keep my first aid knowledge up to date.”

Lindsay said she now takes time to share videos on her Facebook newsfeed.

“I have so many friends with wee ones the same age as Logan and if they see them they’ll know what to do in an emergency,” she said.

A range of first aid videos are available to view at facebook.com/BritishRedCross