During a trip to Disneyland, two people experienced every parent’s worst nightmare.
What started as a happy and fun family day out ended with their baby boy undergoing emergency surgery all because of a piece of popcorn.
In the hopes of preventing the same from happening to another child, they have shared their story.
“We want to share Briars story so that maybe my poor choice can save your babies from a horrific experience like this,” the post on Tiny Hearts Education reads.
The parents, who have not been named, described the series of events that led to this terrifying experience.
“Yesterday we were in Disneyland. Briar had a bite of popcorn in his mouth at 10am.
“I went to take the bucket away as we were ready for a ride. He sucked in to cry and inhaled the popcorn. It went down his throat. He cleared it quickly. He cried and coughed for a while but we felt it was behavioral.”
After around 15 minutes, the parents said they began to worry as Briar continued to show signs of upset.
As his coughing stopped, he began to develop wheezing and an irregular breathing pattern.
“I started running for First Aid knowing in my gut something was wrong. First aid checked him over and his 02 levels looked good, but she recognized the wheeze and called 911,” they explained.
After paramedics arrived on the scene, they determined that the wheezing and any discomfort was likely down to Briar’s throat being scratched from the popcorn.
As his breathing improved, the family went about enjoying their day at Disneyland, adding that their son was ‘great, just clingy’ after the ordeal.
However, it was later that night that Briar’s parents grew even more concerned and would learn of the severity of his condition.
“He fussed in his sleep so I picked him up and noticed his breathing was laboured again. I called our GP and she told me to call 911. I got frantic. Paramedics loaded us on board and gave him oxygen.
“He was rushed in at 1am for emergency surgery. He had popcorn remnants stuck in both his lungs, obstructing his airway.”
The parents were advised that it was ‘very likely’ that their baby boy would ‘not make it through his surgery due to his low o2 levels’, as well as the belief that the popcorn had likely expanded by this stage.’
It wasn’t until the surgeon came in to talk with us that we understood how serious it was.
Thankfully, Briar is doing well now.
“All we could do was cling to our baby and beg the doctors to bring him back out safe to us.
“Briar is recovering in the NICU today. The surgeon said to us many of these kids are braindead before they even get to him.
“Don’t give nuts, popcorn, grapes, raisins to kids under five. We are so happy and thankful to be snuggling him today,” the post concludes.
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