Joy-Anna Duggar's Toddler Scare Choking Incident Sends Gunner to the Hospital

Popular for her stint on the TLC reality series “Counting On,” Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth recently opened up about a terrifying experience on YouTube for her followers. Joy-Anna disclosed in a video that was uploaded on Friday, June 14th, that her 13-month-old son Gunner needed to be taken to the hospital following an episode of choking.

While enjoying a family meal at a youth camp, Joy-Anna gave Gunner a piece of ham from her plate. Unfortunately, the toddler “bit off more than he could chew,” as Joy-Anna described, and began choking immediately. Fortunately, Austin Forsyth, Joy-Anna’s spouse and a skilled EMT, was there and able to respond without delay.

While Joy-Anna described the intense fear she felt during those moments, the specifics of Austin’s intervention were not shown in the video. She cried, “I was just calling out to God, ‘Please save him.'”

It was reported that during the hour-long drive to the hospital, Gunner had a few episodes of respiratory arrest. But by the time they got there, his breathing was normal again. Physicians conducted examinations, such as an X-ray, to guarantee Gunner’s airway was unobstructed. Fortunately, Gunner’s tests were negative, and the hospital released him.

Joy-Anna admitted in the video that following the near-miss, she was “pretty shook up for a while.” She shared her story with other parents to warn them to be on the lookout for choking hazards and to be prepared, especially when their children are small.

The incident also brought attention to how important first aid and CPR instruction are. Austin’s experience as an EMT was definitely helpful in enabling them to react to the situation quickly.

Joy-Anna’s story serves as a sharp reminder of how crucial it is to keep an eye on young children at all times, especially when it comes to food. It also highlights how important it is to be ready for anything and to always have some basic first aid knowledge on hand.