Due to Jaylee's diagnosis of Down syndrome, she has low muscle tone and sensory deficits. Eating has always been a struggle for her, but now that we are doing more solid foods and trying to practice more independent feeding with her, we are running into choking hazards. Due to the lack of sensory input from her tongue, she often cannot identify if she still has food in her mouth or not, and this leads to overstuffing and blockage of her airway when she tries to swallow.

She had two incidents of choking at Christmas, but luckily, these incidents were quickly resolved with the infant heimlich maneuver. Tonight though, her food was so lodged that I could not personally help her. I wasn't able to support her body weight and strike with the necessary force to dislodge simultaneously. If Josh hadn't been home, I'm not sure what I would have done. Realizing that my baby can't breathe and I am helpless is one of the scariest things I have encountered.

When I fear she is choking, I have gotten better at jumping into action instead of freezing in panic, but I am terrified of another instance like tonight where I can't dislodge the blockage through the heimlich maneuver alone.

I am asking for help to purchase three Life Vac Choking Rescue Devices- one for home, one for her babysitter, and one to stay in her diaper bag and travel wherever she does.

Please help this mama have a piece of mind during feeding times.