What would you do if...YOUR BABY CHOKES??

Today while driving in Hamilton, I saw some advertising outside of the Red Cross for their first aid courses. The first line said "What would you do if..." and the second line said in all capital letters "your baby chokes??" Now, it's true that if your baby chokes, you should have an idea of what to do however I disagree with this type of advertising. This type of advertising is basically fear-mongering. Playing on people's emotions to try and get them to sign up for a first aid class is the wrong thing to do. Sure, they will learn techniques that can help them in situations such as if their baby were to choke, but unfortunately there will still be times when even a first aid trained individual, and indeed ambulance drivers, nurses and doctors will not be able to save someone.
As a provider of first aid education, I do know how important and effective the manouvers for basic life support you learn on first aid courses can be. Unfortunately, not everyone has the means or inclination to attend an 8-16 hour course. Lucky for all of us with an internet connection, YOUTUBE is full of valuable resources such as this video which shows basic techniques you can use to help an infant under 1 year old who is choking.