Children's party host saves choking four-year-old at Dudley play centre
A children's party host put her first aid training into action when a four-year-old boy was choking on a cheese sandwich.
Emily Khan, aged 32 and from Dudley, is party host at the Zig Zag Play and Party area at Brierley Hill.
The centre at Brierley Hill has a soft play area for children and caters for parties offering fun for children from babies to about 10 years old.
Mother-of-two Emily has always felt strongly that first aid training is important and she says she hopes her story will encourage others to learn the basics.
When a four-year-old boy began choking during a party she swiftly went to the rescue.
Emily said: "Everyone was enjoying a party when a little boy who had been eating a sandwich began looking for his mother.
"He obviously knew something was wrong and I noticed people asking if he was okay.
"I then saw him arching forwards but there was no cough.
"His mother started to panic and I began back-slapping him and must have done more than five slaps and nothing was happening.
"Then, thankfully, he started to cough and said to his mother that he did not like the sandwich.
"He was crying and his mother was shaking and burst into tears. I just acted instinctively and I think it is in my nature to keep calm.
"I have worked with children and taken first aid training which was recently updated. However, I have never had to use it before. I am a children's entertainer when not at work and I feel it is imperative to learn first aid when dealing with children."
The mother of the boy returned to the venue with a bunch of flowers for Emily.
She has also shared the story on social media in order to encourage others to learn basic first aid.
