Being a parent comes with many fears and one of those being our children falling ill or getting hurt. We become parents and have no training in the role and have to learn and think on our feet but sometimes we are faced with things that can test us to the limit.
St John Ambulance have just recently launched a new advert called The Chokeables after the nation’s leading first aid charity revealed today that four fifths of parents (79%) wouldn’t know how to save their baby from choking to death despite it being a major fear (58%) and 40% having witnessed it.
The research also showed that:
- 53% of parents said knowing first aid would help them feel better prepared and less scared
- Of those who said they knew how to save a choking baby, only 29% knew the correct, recommended technique. Nearly three quarters of parents (71%) selected the wrong answer when given multiple choice options
- 39% of parents think choking is the most important first aid skill to learn as a parent
- Of the parents who’d witnessed their baby choke, 77% said their baby choked on food, 14% on vomit, and 9% on toys. Other causes included coins, mucus/phlegm, marbles, and pen lids.
The short advert features David Walliams, David Mitchell, Johnny Vegas, and Sir John Hurt lending their voices to everyday objects which can possibly become a choking risk, a small princess toy, a pen lid, a jelly baby and a peanut. They’ve joined together because they’ve had enough and want to show how easy it is to save a choking baby’s life.
The film starts with David Mitchell, as a chewed up pen lid, asking for the audience’s attention. A jelly baby – Johnny Vegas – then explains that they’re fed up of real babies choking on innocent objects like them. He then starts struggling for breath and turns blue.
Walliams’ lofty princess character shows the correct technique to save the choking jelly baby – up to five back blows, followed by up to five chest thrusts – as he promptly coughs out a peanut (voiced by Sir John Hurt), before returning to his normal shade.
The advert will be shown on television over the next three months and St John Ambulance is asking people to share the film online widely with their friends and family so that as many people as possible can learn to save a life.
St John Ambulance CEO, Sue Killen, said:
‘Knowing what to do in an emergency can be the difference between life and death, especially with something like choking. We all know how time pressed parents are so this film makes it as easy as possible to learn first aid – in less than 40 seconds we can all know a skill that could save a life. We hope people watch and share the video with their friends and family so more people have the confidence to act in an emergency.’
In addition to the advert, St John Ambulance has released new resources on its website to inspire everyone to learn life saving first aid skills. Visit www.sja.org.uk/TheChokeables for more information and advice. Also please share the video with your family and friends to help everyone be prepared in case they ever need to be.