Sadie Robertson Huff, one of the stars of the reality TV series "Duck Dynasty" is speaking out about her infant daughter's recent choking experience in the hopes of raising awareness for others.
Robertson Huff said in an Instagram post over the weekend that she was in the kitchen with her 8-month-old daughter Kit last week when the traumatic incident occurred.
"Kit was sitting in her high chair this week, eating a snack while I was finishing up dinner prep, when she began to choke," she wrote in part in a lengthy caption. "Within seconds, you could tell the severity of the situation."
"My mom pulled her from the high chair and placed my girl into my arms just as she stopped breathing," she continued. "Everyone went into action and into prayer. Mom called 911, I started CPR, and everyone began to pray out loud and move the other kids downstairs."
Robertson Huff said that after "following protocol for a baby choking" and performing CPR, "Kit miraculously coughed and began to breathe, just as the paramedics arrived."
The mom of three said Kit was subsequently transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she "stayed the night for observation" before being released. She said Kit "is now perfectly healthy, happy, and brightening everyone's day!"
"Sharing this as a testimony, and also as an encouragement for everyone to learn what to do in the case of an emergency," she wrote. "It happened SO fast, and I’m so thankful I was able to go straight into action!"
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, choking, especially on food, coins, and toys, is a top cause of sickness and death in children, particularly in kids 3 and younger. The organization notes about 66 to 77 children under age 10 die each year in the U.S. from choking on food.
"This is largely because of the developmental vulnerabilities of a young child's airway and the underdeveloped ability to chew and swallow food. Young children also commonly put objects in their mouths as they explore their environments," the AAP explained in a policy statement updated in 2019.
Symptoms of choking in children, according to the AAP, may include:
- An inability to breathe
- Gasping or wheezing
- An inability to cry, make noise or talk
- A child turns a bluish color
- A child grabs at their throat or waves their arms and/or appears panicked
- A child becomes limp or unconscious
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of foods -- such as small, sticky, or hard foods -- parents should avoid giving to babies and infants to prevent choking.
