Toddler Nearly Dies From Eating Popcorn At Disneyland, Undergoes Emergency Surgery

KEY POINTS

The 15-month-old boy had to undergo emergency surgery after "multiple fragments" of popcorn were found in his lungs
The boy made it through the surgery and was later placed in a newborn intensive care unit
The toddler's mother warned parents of the dangers posed by snacks such as popcorn, nuts, raisins and grapes

A Kansas mother is warning other parents to avoid feeding their children certain types of food after her 15-month-old son nearly died from eating popcorn at an amusement park last month.

Lakynn Dockers and her family were visiting Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, on Dec. 12 when she let her son Briar eat popcorn, according to a GoFundMe page.

The 27-year-old mother-of-two had to take the popcorn bucket away as her family was preparing to get in line for a ride, which made Briar "upset," KWCH 12 reported.

"As I took the popcorn bucket out of [Briar’s] hands, he got upset like he was going to cry and he sucked in to let out like a big upset (cry) and when he did that, the popcorn that was in there shot straight down to his lungs," Dockers recalled.

The mother said she felt in her gut that "something was wrong" after she noticed Briar's change in breathing and called for first aid, a report by 7News.com.au said.

An initial check found that Briar's oxygen levels "looked good" and that he had "good color," but the nurse who inspected the toddler recognized the "wheeze and discomfort" and agreed to contact paramedics.

"Paramedics came and looked him over and gave the same report, vitals were clear and they believed the popcorn likely scratched his throat causing discomfort and the wheeze was from crying," Dockers said.

Dockers said she and her family "partied" at the amusement park "for a couple of hours" following the incident, but Briar's "labored" breathing prompted her to call a family doctor, who then urged her to call 911, according to Briar's GoFundMe page.

The toddler was later taken to a children's hospital in Orange County at around 1 a.m. the next day for emergency surgery.

Doctors reportedly found "multiple fragments" of popcorn stuck in both of the child's lungs, resulting in an "obstructed" airway. Additionally, the family was told that Briar's oxygen levels had fallen "dangerously low."

"[The doctor] said, 'Guys, this is very serious, I need you to understand that it is highly likely that he is not coming out.' I don’t think we heard a word after that. We just crumbled," Dockers said.

But Briar made it through the surgery and was later placed in a newborn intensive care unit.

Dockers is now trying to raise awareness about the incident so another family does not have to go through what they experienced.

"It’s very easy to say, 'Everything will be fine, it’s just one time,' but we are here to tell you all it takes is one popcorn," the mother said.

Aside from popcorn, snacks such as nuts, grapes and raisins can also be dangerous for children below the age of 4, Dockers said.

Briar's GoFundMe page has raised $9,393 to help cover his medical costs.