1 Year Old Heart Stopped In Daycare

[Oneluckymom]

Also, the child who choked and has had CPR &/or heimlich still requires a hospital visit. I was told they need to be checked for swelling in the airway, aspiration , or internal injury due heimlich.

[Unregistered]

Sids

I'm a registered member but signed out because I feel I should share this story to help people but it's hard. I had a 4 month old daycare baby die of SIDS. She was taking her morning nap and I was sending the older kids off to school. I usually held her all morning but this morning I had decided to make a big breakfast for the kids. She was used to being rocked to sleep so she started crying and I made the decision to let her cry for a bit to see if she would self sooth. She stopped after a short time. As soon as they were gone I went to check her and she wasn't breathing. I started CPR and my neighbor heard my anguished screams so she came over and helped with the other children. I did CPR until the paramedics showed up but I guess I was in shock because I don't remember much of that time. It was hard for my neighbor because she had a child die of SIDS. The little girl was warm when I found her but cold by the time paramedics arrived. I just knew she wasn't going to come back from this. They had to treat my house like a crime scene and I had to close my daycare until they completed the autopsy and investigation which is standard practice where I'm from. Luckily the parents didn't blame me and stood by me the whole time, I even watched their oldest 2 for a couple more years until they moved. I think if they had blamed me i would have ended up in the loony bin, it would have been more than I could handle. I blame myself though even though I know I shouldn't. What if I hadn't put her down? Why did I let her cry? Of course I learned everything there is to know about SIDS and the child had none of the risk factors. She was on her back, nothing in the crib and wasn't exposed to second hand smoke. It's not uncommon for babies to have none of the risk factors, I was told its like a switch in their brain just shuts off. I stopped taking infants after that and when I had another child I bought an angel care monitor that had an alarm that would sound if the baby didn't move every few seconds. I did not stay cool, calm and collected. Even now as I go back tears well up in my eyes.

[sharlan]

Unregistered, {{HUGS}} for you.

I think that is the biggest fear of all daycare providers. I know it is mine and I didn't take infants for many years because of it.

[SilverSabre25]

Unreg, ((HUGS)) I'm tearing up reading and thinking about this. I am so, so sorry.

[Miesele]

Ohhhh, that is awful! Thankfully, I have never had to use my CPR skills on any of the children I have taught. This is very scary though!

[sarahhardy2711]

How horrible!
Was there an undetected heart condition?
I have never had to do CPR though am always current with my certifications.

Not that I'm aware of, or the mom has told us about. It was very sudden for her. I had this happen to a family member as well who was about 2 and died from a sudden heart condition or SIDS. It's scary to to see it happen to older kids.
You are all awesome, I'm sure it was terrifying after the fact, I hope I can handle it if God forbid I have to.

[Laurel]

I'm a registered member but signed out because I feel I should share this story to help people but it's hard. I had a 4 month old daycare baby die of SIDS. She was taking her morning nap and I was sending the older kids off to school. I usually held her all morning but this morning I had decided to make a big breakfast for the kids. She was used to being rocked to sleep so she started crying and I made the decision to let her cry for a bit to see if she would self sooth. She stopped after a short time. As soon as they were gone I went to check her and she wasn't breathing. I started CPR and my neighbor heard my anguished screams so she came over and helped with the other children. I did CPR until the paramedics showed up but I guess I was in shock because I don't remember much of that time. It was hard for my neighbor because she had a child die of SIDS. The little girl was warm when I found her but cold by the time paramedics arrived. I just knew she wasn't going to come back from this. They had to treat my house like a crime scene and I had to close my daycare until they completed the autopsy and investigation which is standard practice where I'm from. Luckily the parents didn't blame me and stood by me the whole time, I even watched their oldest 2 for a couple more years until they moved. I think if they had blamed me i would have ended up in the loony bin, it would have been more than I could handle. I blame myself though even though I know I shouldn't. What if I hadn't put her down? Why did I let her cry? Of course I learned everything there is to know about SIDS and the child had none of the risk factors. She was on her back, nothing in the crib and wasn't exposed to second hand smoke. It's not uncommon for babies to have none of the risk factors, I was told its like a switch in their brain just shuts off. I stopped taking infants after that and when I had another child I bought an angel care monitor that had an alarm that would sound if the baby didn't move every few seconds. I did not stay cool, calm and collected. Even now as I go back tears well up in my eyes.

I am so sorry that happened to you. It also happened to my provider friend. It was the baby's first day in her care and the grandmother was scheduled to arrive to pick the baby up just 15 minutes after it happened. They treated her house like a crime scene too but found nothing, of course. It just happens.

Thanks for sharing.

Laurel