Mom warns of fidget spinner choking hazard
Fidget spinners are all the rage right now. Kids love them so much that some teachers made the decision to ban the fidget spinner from classrooms. Consider that a major twist since the toy originally started as a tool to help kids with ADHD and other learning differences concentrate in school!
However, with all the debate over whether or not fidget spinners should be allowed in classrooms, little did we know we were missing an important safety concern. The popular toy, as it turns out, could present a choking hazard.
Check out this frightening story that mom Kelly Joniec posted on Facebook on May 15. Her 10-year-old daughter ended up in the emergency room after accidentally swallowing part of her fidget spinner.
Mom Finds Daughter Choking in Car
Joniec was driving her daughter, Britton, home from school. Suddenly, she heard a strange “retching” noise from the backseat. Her daughter was red-faced and drooling, and it was evident that she was choking. Joniec attempted the Heimlich maneuver to no avail and took Britton to urgent care. Doctors at the urgent care then rushed Britton to Texas Children’s Hospital. Once Britton arrived, doctors sedated the girl and removed the fidget spinner piece from her esophagus.
The terrifying ordeal had a happy ending for Britton and her mama, but it moved the frightened mom to make an informative Facebook post to warn other parents.
Fidget Spinner Piece Broke Loose
In her post, Joniec said the doctor only learned about the popular toy a few hours before while at the mall with his son. He never expected to find a piece of one lodged inside a child a short time later.
In Britton’s case, the girl put the spinner in her mouth to clean it, according to her mom’s post. Somehow, one of the bushings broke loose and Britton accidentally swallowed it. Joniec shared a photo of the spinner with two missing bushings, noting that “one is somewhere in the seats of my car, the other is somewhere in the GI of my 10 year old.”
Fidget spinners do come with an age warning, but most parents probably do not realize that the toys can come apart. This incident proves not only toddlers put things in their mouth. Let’s face it, even adults put things in their mouth that they shouldn’t, whether it’s a pen cap or the end of their glasses.
So, make sure you pass on this warning to any parents and teachers you know. And talk to your kids about this story. Kids need to understand the serious choking risks. Thanks to the wonderful medical team at Texas Children’s Hospital, Britton recovered well.
Let’s make sure no one else has to endure the same nightmare!
h/t: Pop Sugar