A school teacher in New Jersey, US, saved the life of a child with her quick thinking. Janeice Jenkins, who was looking after her class of third graders at East Orange Community Charter School, suddenly realised that one of her students had started choking on a water bottle cap. She immediately performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on the boy to clear his airway.
The Heimlich manoeuvre, also known as abdominal thrusts, is a simple procedure for removing an object stuck in someone's airway.
The boy wanted to sip water but he could not open the cap of the bottle with his hands. So, he tried to remove the cap with his teeth. While trying to do so, he squeezed the bottle with his hands. The bottle burst, sending the cap down his throat with force.
As the boy choked, he ran towards the sink to cough the cap out. But he couldn't dislodge the cap on his own. So, he ran toward his teacher. Ms Jenkins acted immediately and helped him breathe again.
A video of the incident has made it to Reddit.
“I didn't really think, I just acted. I saw he needed help and I just sprung into action to help him. He couldn't breathe, his face was pretty pale and he had a look of desperation on his face,” she told NJ Advance Media.
The video of the incident was shared on YouTube too. The caption read, “JaNeice Jenkins, a third-grade teacher at East Orange Community Charter School, says she didn't think — she just acted when she saw one of her students choking. The boy accidentally swallowed a water bottle cap while trying to open it with his teeth. After the Heimlich manoeuvre, the boy was ok.”
The footage was attributed to East Orange Community Charter School.
A teacher for 14 years, Ms Jenkins has worked at the school for five years. She is also a cheerleading coach at Montclair High School. Recently, she had taken a refresher course in first aid, which, probably, may have helped her keep her composure and handle this situation. The boy was given proper medical attention and his parents were informed.
Several people have praised the child for being acutely aware of the situation and how to respond to it.
“The situational awareness is astounding for a kid his age,” said one Reddit user.
Another wrote that this “was amazing presence of mind for a kid in a panic-inducing situation”.
A third user commented that this was “a sign that all the training they do in these schools is working”. The user added, “People who are regularly trained to deal with a situation before it happens are way more likely to be more calm and take effective action. Lots of people will still panic, though, and that is a key factor for a positive outcome. The kid definitely did well. Good job.”
“That must have been absolutely terrifying. I don't think I'd be able to keep my cool as that kid did,” wrote another person.
To perform the Heimlich manoeuvre, stand behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist. With one hand, make a fist and place it slightly above the person's navel. With the other hand, grasp the fist and press forcefully into the abdomen with a fast, upward thrust, as if attempting to lift the person up. Perform 6 to 10 abdominal thrusts until the obstruction is removed.
