“When this happened I had to realise that although he is seven and above average height for his age, he is still only a baby.”
While Christmas have already passed us by, this experience by a mum is unforgettable:
Christmas is about lots of things, but for so many parents, it’s a big chance to spoil their kids with that special something they’ve been wanting for a long time. And while it’s wonderful for children to finally get the one thing they have been coveting for months on end, it’s equally special for mums and dads to see the joy on their faces when they tear off the wrapping paper and see what awaits.
Photo: Ирина Мещерякова / iStock
But for one mum, that perfect present almost ended in disaster when her seven-year-old son choked on one of the brand new AirPods she had just given him. Kiara Stroud, from Atlanta, Georgia, posted on Facebook, as a warning to other parents that even if they think their kids are old enough for things that might pose a choking hazard, they should think again.
Airpods Choking Risk, as warned by a mum after her child had swallowed airpods. | Photo: FACEBOOK/ Kiara Stroud. View her full post here.
Airpods Choking Risk: “He’s still only a baby”
Kiara explained that she received the call while she was at work that her son had been rushed to hospital after he choked on and swallowed one of his AirPods. She told Romper that she honestly forgets that her son is so young because he is so mature. “I know, as a single mom, I raise my son to be very self-sufficient and expect a lot from him at such a young age,” she explained. “When this happened I had to realise that although he is 7 and above average height for his age, that he is still only a baby.”
The doctors told her that her son would be fine and would eventually pass the AirPod naturally, but that the whole experience had been a big lesson to both her and him, as she explained in a follow-up post on her Facebook page:
“Today, we didn’t yell at him, didn’t curse, didn’t ask why, didn’t tell him he was too old, didn’t shame him, and didn’t make the situation worse. He already felt bad. He was scared and nervous. We let him know that everything was going to be okay, stayed calm, and it helped him to relax so that the doctors could do their jobs.”
Photo: FACEBOOK/ Kiara Stroud. View her full post here.
“How in the heck did he do that?”
While plenty of people were baffled as to how a boy of that age could actually swallow an AirPod, Kiara explained he was simply trying to disconnect them from his phone when the incident occurred. And as one person pointed out, even adults accidentally choke on things.
“Lol, you can’t really blame age as a factor or even knowing any better… I’m 19 and still catch myself putting things in my mouth, it can go from writing with a pen then somehow I’m chewing the pen top! It’s just a bad habit that even adults possess.”
And it’s not the first time it’s happened either, with a report that last year a man in Taiwan also swallowed his AirPods. At least, as one person said, “they’re waterproof, so he can still use them!”
And while as of yet, Apple doesn’t have an age-related warning when it comes to AirPods, it’s probably not a bad idea to err on the side of caution when deciding whether your child is old enough to be gifted something so potentially dangerous.
This article was first published on Kidspot and was republished on theAsianparent with permission.
Lead image credits to Kiara Stroud.
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