Halloween Safety Tip! LifeVac Can Save A Life

Even typing this makes me nervous. The thought of someone choking and I have to save them scares the crap out of me and that is even after taking a CPR class and keeping it renewed for years. LifeVac is an amazing product everyone should have on hand. Just like our emergency kit! This is important!

Halloween is around the corner and each year, kids accumulate scores of goodies and candy from trick-or-treating.  While exciting for them, certain candy can pose a choking hazard for young children and LifeVac Founder & CEO, Arthur Lih, would like to remind you of the dangers and how to be prepared in case of a choking emergency.

“No child should die of choking. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, every five days, a child dies in the United States as a result of choking on food. This is a staggering and frightening statistic” says Arhur Lih. “Remember - children in the 4 - 5 year group are at the highest risk of choking and hard candy poses a real choking threat.”

Arthur encourages you to know the reality of choking  - 

 

STATISTICS

• A leading cause of death in children

• 5,000 deaths yearly

• One child dies every 5 days from choking

 FACTS

• Of all choking deaths in 2000, 41% caused by food, 59% by nonfood items (balloons, etc)

• Candy is associated with 19% ER visits for aspiration emergencies – 65% due to hard candy and 35% gummy bears, chocolate, caramel, etc.

• Coins were responsible for 18% of ER visits for children age 1 to 4 years

Arthur’s tips for keeping trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween season:

1.    Parents, check the candy stash when you get home before you allow your toddler to tuck in.  Take caution around hard candy especially, and don’t ignore other food items such as nuts, raisins, popcorn and grapes which little kids don’t tend to chew.

 2.      Don’t forget that non-edible items, such as small toys, marbles etc can also pose a choking risk, so be on the lookout for these as well. Go through their trick-or-treat baskets and ensure there are no plastic Halloween items/decor that could be a hazard.

3.       Please educate yourself on choking should an accident occur and know how to administer emergency first aid, such as the Heimlich maneuver. Know who to call for help.

4.       Should emergency first aid techniques not work, ensure that you have an anti-choking device, like LifeVac, at hand in your family’s first aid kit. This non-powered single-patient portable suction apparatus is simple to use and effective. 

LifeVac wishes you a happy and safe Halloween!