Boy With Autism Saves Choking Friend

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/good_day_ny/boy-with-autism-saves-choking-friend-20100608-kc

(video on the website)
Boy With Autism Saves Choking Friend

Updated: Tuesday, 08 Jun 2010, 12:33 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 08 Jun 2010, 10:52 AM EDT

MYFOXNY.COM - Lunch time turned frightening for a boy in Valley Stream, Long Island.

Nicholas Landecho choked on a taco in the school cafeteria. Teachers patted him on the back trying to help, but it was a nine-year-old classmate who ultimately saved Nicholas.

The boys and their mothers appeared on Good Day New York to talk about the event.

"The taco got stuck in my throat. I drank some milk. I went to the aides. I couldn't breathe, " said Nicholas. "Marken ran over."

That's when Marken Suaza put his arms around Nicholas' stomach and performed the Heimlich Maneuver.

"I think Nick spit into a garbage can," said Marken.

The nine-year-old hero has Asperger's syndrome - a form of autism.

Marken's mother said she wasn't surprised her son jumped into action.

"Children with Asperger's are brilliant. Marken's inpulsivity-which kids with Asperser's get a bad rap for having- saved Nicolas' life," said Kenia Nunez.

"Nicholas was nervous. I was very happy to hear that Marken ran into action and didn't think twice to save his friend. We're so grateful to Nicolas," said Maria Lendecho.

And how did Marken learn the Heimlich Maneuver?

"By reading the choking posters," said the boy hero.



http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/good_day_ny/boy-with-autism-saves-choking-friend-20100608-kc

Goes to show people that one does not have to spend endless days in first aid class to learn how to save a life.

Well, it does at least show that while the NT kids were flipping peas at each other and giggling until milk came out their noses, this boy was reading the safety posters and memorizing the details.

Awesome!

Yeah, I always take the written word seriously, and I'm always surprised that other people don't. (although these days I'm loosening up and drawing distinctions, better sources, not so good sources)

---------------------------------------------------

This source says that it might not work the first time. Critical thing, keep trying, Keep Trying, KEEP TRYING.

This source says start with five forceful back blows, then five Heimlich abdominal thrusts. And alternate between the two of them. Five and five. KEEP TRYING. (And although this source doesn't say it, open the mouth, get good light, see if you can pull something out)



http://books.google.com/books?id=WuvXnh ... id&f=false

Okay, make a fist, put it surprisingly low (thumb just above belly button). Grab fist with other hand. Hard upward thrust. If it's not working, do it harder. KEEP TRYING

if victim is unconscious, finger sweep along base of tongue. Can lay unconscious victim flat on his or her back and use heel of hand low, well below xiphoid (bony thing that's kind of a continuation of breast bone). Hard upward thrust. KEEP TRYING

http://books.google.com/books?id=ugepIb ... id&f=false

And here's a poster that shows how to do the Heimlich on yourself. You put your own fist just above your navel, hold with other hand and place against a counter or back of a chair. And use that stationary object to drive your fist upward into yourself. You're looking for an explosion of air that will drive the foreign object out.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... s%3Disch:1

Cool.

That puts us ahead, 50 years.

Shouldn't the title just read "Boy Saves Choking Friend"? Heh, that's the news people for you.

Here's a youtube video on the Heimlich Maneuver that's pretty good. And as the person points out at the beginning, if they're coughing, that's actually a good thing. (it's when the person can neither cough nor talk that they're really, really seriously choking)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJDpr05zmB4