A mother whose three-year-old started choking on his food was able to use her first aid training to save her son’s life – training that she had undergone only one day earlier.
Claire Gascoyne, who lives near Sheffield, was able to use her newly-learnt skills and knowledge to act swiftly and effectively when her young son Thomas started to choke on a crisp that became lodged in his throat. Staying calm in what must have been a very frightening situation, Claire managed to clear the obstruction by delivering a number of well-placed blows on the youngster’s back. The crisp flew out of his throat and he could breathe normally again.
Following her experience, Claire is now encouraging other parents to go on a first aid training course so that they can potentially save their children’s lives if the worst should happen. Speaking to local publication The Star, the mother of two said:
“I definitely recommend going on a first aid course because it just gives you the basics.
“You don’t realize that your child could die because you don’t know what to do, so it is really important.”