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Story time:

I was babysitting some kids today. Lunch time. Kid X starts crying. I come up to him and say "what's wrong buddy?" X grabs his throat with both hands - the universal sign of choking (I doubt he knows this, so it's kinda interesting that that was his natural response).

"Oh shit" I think. Panicking, to the other adults I say "I think he's fucking choking." "Do I start the Heimlich?" I think. (I'm certified CPR/first aid). I don't. I look desperately at the others. Other than help X to his feet, I do nothing. I froze.

Luckily, the food was able to pass down his esophagus when he stood up. He was fine, just a little shaken up.

I froze, and I feel pathetic. Useless. A shame to the name Aragorn. In general, I'm terrible under pressure. Never faced a situation like this, though.

What do?

Story time: I was babysitting some kids today. Lunch time. Kid X starts crying. I come up to him and say "what's wrong buddy?" X grabs his throat with both hands - the universal sign of choking (I doubt he knows this, so it's kinda interesting that that was his natural response). "Oh shit" I think. Panicking, to the other adults I say "I think he's fucking choking." "Do I start the Heimlich?" I think. (I'm certified CPR/first aid). I don't. I look desperately at the others. Other than help X to his feet, I do nothing. I froze. Luckily, the food was able to pass down his esophagus when he stood up. He was fine, just a little shaken up. I froze, and I feel pathetic. Useless. A shame to the name Aragorn. In general, I'm terrible under pressure. Never faced a situation like this, though. What do?

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I actually did the opposite at last years Thanksgiving. My nieces kid who was 17 months at the time started choking on something and I snapped him up out of his high chair and flipped him upside down by one leg and gave him a light open palm to the chest and he horked out a un-chewed piece of green bean. Nobody else had the situational awareness to even see what was happening until it was all over.

At least you knew what was going on, situational awareness is good just don't think about the rest and react.