Toddler Dies of Choking on Pit in East Jerusalem
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
A one-and-a-half-year-old toddler, Karem Majd Jamal Halasa, died in East Jerusalem on Monday after allegedly choking on a fruit pit. Family sources expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Israel Weingarten, a chief instructor at Magen David Adom's paramedic school, provided guidance on how to respond to choking incidents in children, emphasizing immediate calls for help and specific first-aid techniques.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A one-and-a-half-year-old toddler, Karem Majd Jamal Halasa, died in East Jerusalem from choking on a fruit pit.
- Family sources described the toddler as a special child who was loved by everyone.
- The incident occurred despite attempts by family members to save the child's life.
- Israel Weingarten, a paramedic instructor, detailed life-saving actions for choking incidents.
- Weingarten stressed the importance of calling emergency services and performing specific maneuvers like back blows and chest compressions.
A one-and-a-half-year-old toddler from East Jerusalem, Karem Majd Jamal Halasa, died on Monday morning from choking, suspected to be caused by swallowing a fruit pit. "The family is in deep mourning, and despite attempts to save the toddler's life, they could not prevent his death," said sources close to the family. The toddler, Karem Majd Jamal Halasa, died after choking on a pit, according to them. "We stand by the family during this difficult and painful time. Karem was a special child loved by everyone. The family used to play and laugh with him until the tragedy that turned their lives upside down occurred."
In a previous instruction session, Israel Weingarten, chief instructor at Magen David Adom's paramedic school, explained the crucial actions to save children from choking. "Choking is a very, very solvable cause in most situations if we know how to perform a few basic actions," Weingarten said. "The first basic action is to call 101 for help. The second is to see if the child is conscious. If he is conscious, do not give him anything to drink or push things into his mouth. Let him cough if he can, because our lungs always have spare air, and using it for coughing can create pressure that will expel the foreign object." He advised turning the child over, placing two fingers inside the cheeks to keep the airway open, and giving five firm blows between the infant's shoulder blades to encourage coughing. If the object is not dislodged, the child should be placed on a hard surface, and five chest compressions should be administered. "Even if you hurt him, it's okay. It's a life-saving action at those moments," Weingarten stated. After these steps, one should check the mouth for the object and carefully remove it with a little finger if visible. He warned against blindly probing the mouth, as this could push the object further in and worsen the situation.