A toddler was left struggling to breathe after a horrific incident saw him start choking on a lollipop that had come off its stick.
The terrifying incident happend after two-year-old Baker was given the sweet treat at a hairdressers. His mam Amy was unable to remove the lolly from her son's throat and it was only the quick thinking of salon worker Gemma Fairhurst which prevented a tragedy.
She rushed over and held Baker upside down, before hitting him on the back a number of times to dislodge the lollipop. Now Amy, a public speaker, has warned other parents of small children to be extra careful with lollies - and promote first aid training.
Blackpool native Amy told the Mirror: “Normally I’m so paranoid about things and I never give my children lollies, grapes or Maltesers, but I thought because 'he’s sat on my knee and he’s really behaving, one won’t hurt.' It made me realise that a one-off could be fatal and awareness is needed of the dangers of these lollies.
“It was just horrific and I was shaking all day – I'll never forgive myself for putting him or myself through that." Amy was getting her hair done at the You Hair and Beauty Lounge in Thornton-Cleveleys when she noticed that Baker was starting to bob up and down.
He wasn't able to answer when she asked him if anything was wrong and continued to shake - causing her to panic. Gemma reacted quickly to pull Baker off Amy's lap before holding him upside down and hitting his back and after 30 seconds, the sweet came loose.
Amy said: “Baker can be quite hyperactive, but he was sat on my knee and really behaving himself. “I thought one lolly wouldn’t hurt – he licked it a couple of times and within sixty seconds he held up the stick and showed me the sweet had come off the end.
“It was in his mouth and it sounded like he crunched it, so I just told him to be careful – then he did a little cough like he was trying to clear his throat. He made eye contact with me in the mirror and his shoulders started bobbing up and down but he’s a bit of a clown and likes to make people laugh so I asked if he was okay again.
“His shoulders started moving faster and that was when my hairdresser shouted ‘he’s not alright’ and I realised he wasn’t breathing. The sweet from the lolly was stuck in his throat – I leaned him forwards and hit him on the back as hard as I could but it was like it was all in slow motion.
“My hairdresser swung the chair around and tipped him upside down, she was hitting him in the back for probably thirty seconds and another lady ran over to help. As I was about to pick up my phone to call 999 he started crying and the lolly came out of his mouth.
“He burst out crying and I scooped him up and went and sat on the other side of the salon – I held him for about twenty minutes. I’ve never experienced anything like that fear in my life – if my hairdresser wasn’t there Baker wouldn’t be here today.
“I will never say a one-off won’t hurt, it made me realise the fact I don’t actually have first aid training and a lot of mums don’t. My advice to other parents never give children lollies, I think they should be banned and a lot of people feel the same.
“Just always trust your gut – a one-off really can be fatal and it’s just not worth the risk."
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