Tortoreto: Father saves 10-month-old from choking via emergency operator guidance

A 10-month-old infant in Tortoreto, Italy, was saved from a life-threatening choking incident on Saturday evening after his father performed pediatric airway clearance maneuvers guided by an emergency operator.

The child was playing on a rug when he experienced severe respiratory distress and loss of consciousness. Upon receiving the call, Mario Quaranta, an operator from the Teramo ASL 118 emergency center, recognized the gravity of the situation. While an ambulance and medical vehicle were dispatched from Giulianova, the operator provided step-by-step instructions to the father.

The father was instructed to position the infant face down along his forearm with the head lower than the torso and deliver vigorous back blows between the shoulder blades. When the obstruction did not clear, the operator guided him through chest compressions. After several cycles, the child regained consciousness and began breathing normally. Medical personnel arriving on the scene confirmed the airway had been successfully cleared.