Grapes cut in half/school dinners!

[Yepyep333]

I am a worrier when it comes to choking, my children are primary school age and have school dinners, I was scared to find out that bowls of grapes were left out for them to help themselves too, aibu to insist that they are cut in half? Of course I know that they can choke on any food and when I went and asked the office they suggested I give my dcs a lunch box instead, am I the only one that cuts them in half?

Chareth that's a fab video!

I'm off to the kitchen to cut grapes for the dc after dinner and see if it works!

YANBU - God this is sending shivers down my spine - we had a bad choking incident when ds was 1 and we nearly lost him. After years of infertility to have him as a miracle i think i would kill myself if he died.
he is a bit older now but I will be asking any primary school about grape protocol as it seems irresponsible to ignore it.

The flippant YABU comments are clearly from someone who hasn't nearly lost a child through choking. I don't think you can ask them to cut them more offer other fruit.

Grapes and cherry tomatoes are still a major choking hazard up until children are at least 5 or 6 years old. And think about children eating at the school lunch table, are they sitting quietly eating or are they chattering with other children while they pop their food in their mouths? Inattention, improper chewing, and talking while they're eating... all ramp up the risk of choking.

I cut grapes still for my 8yo and 5yo. The 8yo can eat them whole when he's by himself at home, but when the 5yo is here, I cut them up, so there are no concerns if 5yo helps himself to one of 8yo's grapes. Also, 8yo is disabled and often doesn't chew properly, so he is at a higher risk of choking anyway, especially when he is distracted - like when other people are eating with us.

I have had the experience of one of my children choking on food, and it's not one I'd care to repeat any time soon.

Anyone that's witnessed a child truly choking would totally understand your concern. Dd choked very seriously when she was about a year old - on mashed potato of all things. It was utterly terrifying and we ended up in hospital for a day afterwards. When I had ds ten years later the weaning stage gave me terrors. I fed him puree for a long time - didn't even attempt finger foods for a very long time. He is now 2.5 and eats normally. But I will never let either of mine near whole grapes until they are able to buy them themselves !!

www.sja.org.uk/sja/default.aspx

Link to St John Ambulance site. There is a free app you can download that gives instructions on what to do for choking/cpr. Plus I believe you can get a free booklet from them. It's ALWAYS good to have this information in your home, kept in the same place so you can grab it quick if you need it. Even if you're trained, in a panic situation, it's good to have the backup there.

The people being sarcastic and suggesting that others are referring to gagging as "choking" have no bloody idea and are making me so angry. You have clearly never witnessed someone choking. Of course we know the damn difference!

My mum saved my sister's life at age 8 when she was choking on a boiled sweet the same size and shape as a grape. It is absolutely terrifying to witness someone unable to breathe , and for others to dismiss it as just gagging is downright ignorant.

Those sorts of incidents Are actually quite common. The lucky ones where the person survived rarely talk about it because they found the incident so traumatic. I can't even begin to imagine how those poor people who witness their loved one fade away in front of their eyes must feel.

Yes there is a small risk of dying whilst choking on a grape but there is still a risk. And it's an avoidable one, so why on earth would anyone think it won't happen to them?

I still cut up grapes for my 7 year old (and tell dd1 age 12 every time she has them to bite them in half). Same with cherry tomatoes and we cut sausages up too.

DD1 is 9 now and still bites hers in half, along with cherry tomatoes. She was 6 when she choked.

Chareth, great link! That video for cutting multiple grapes is genius!

Ds1 was choking on a bit of breadstick at about 1 year old

He was sat in his buggy chewing away and we didn't realise there was a problem till we looked at him and saw he was turning blue

Obviously none of mine were given food (apart from choc buttons) in their buggies again!!!!

I cut grapes in half. A small child's trachea is funnel shaped. Grapes and cherry tomatoes are the perfect size and shape to form an airtight plug. When we intubate an adult during anaesthesia we use cuffed tubes, which we inflate to form an airtight seal, pead tubes are uncuffed. The trachea forms the airtight seal.

It is very difficult to dislodge a grape. It takes very little time for a child to become hypoxic, much less when compaired to an adult.

Im adult advanced life support, pead intermediate life support trained. Im also a cpr cascade trainer. What I don't have is a well stocked resus in my house. I don't have suction, a laryngoscope and magill forceps to hand, even if I did I would still cut grapes in half.

The people being sarcastic and suggesting that others are referring to gagging as "choking" have no bloody idea and are making me so angry. You have clearly never witnessed someone choking. Of course we know the damn difference!

^
I can't believe it needed saying, but hear hear.

when I finally dislodged that bloody cherry tomato from DSs throat, we all cried our eyes out, him through shock and fear and me and the DDs from sheer relief. I will never be rid of that scene from my mind.

I think more people should learn first aid, should know what choking looks like (silent, not coughing or spluttering) and that children should be taught to sign "I am choking" (simple hands round throat sign) that is taught in some countries from nursery age

an adult colleague of mine was choking once at a dinner party, sat there silent, panic stricken and terrified to move until someone thankfully realised something was amiss, and knew the Heimlich manoeuvere (excuse my spelling)

adults as well as children die from choking - not just pissed ones choking on their own vomit either, perfectly well, fit, sensible adults die from choking on food

Just read usernames post....have changed my mind....

I'm going back to slicing up

Thank your for your replies, initially I thought I was the only one who feared it but I realise I'm not over reacting and they are a serious choking hazard, some of these stories are devastating and I will definitely be sticking to lunch boxes now x

Could I just say that although I'm sorry that others on here have had choking incidents I'm kind of glad I'm not alone on this one.
It was 3 years ago and affected me (not DD, she can't remember it) to the extent that weaning DD2 turned into something of a nightmare - MIL had to intervene
It's not a joke or something to dismiss with a sarcastic comment.

No OP, yanbu.

Agree its not a risk worth taking, but apparently your not allowed to practise abit of caution without being accused of being ott/paranoid/pfb

I'd be bloody livid with the school though with the smart arse comment about liquidizing their food

I also did the obligatory Ofsted 12 hour paediatric 1st Aid course recently too & was told "guidelines are that we cut grapes in half and cardots/cucumbers in the Julienne style ie strips."

The circular disc shapes are perfect for blocking airways.

I cut grapes and cherry tomatoes for my six year old. My 10 year old won't eat them anyway.

A couple of years back I decided to stop cutting them. The very same day a primary aged boy choked to death at after school club on a grape, locally to me. It gave me the fear, so I'll be chopping them for all the family forever.

Marshmallows and hotdogs aren't good either.

Actually I have experienced a child chocking (more than once due to medical issues) hence I know the difference, but I know of many people who use that term wrongly when they should have said gagging.

I'm probably preaching to the converted here, but its also worth saying, please , never ever leave little children alone while they are eating.
Never leave them eating a bowl of bits while you go hang laundry outside or have a shower, or get on with the housework. Just because they are quiet does not mean they are ok.
A little boy in the next village died choking on an apple, watching TV while his parents had a lie in.

Don't send them to school, the risk is too high

FFS grow up furcoat we are talking about children who have died, or who have come within seconds of dying

I'm not saying they children never choke. But do you realise what is the risk?
Apparently one child dies every 5 days from chocking in the USA.
Assuming all these children are under 5yo, it's a risk of .... 0.0003%.

Which isn't a lot at all.

On the other side, learning first aid for children should,IMHO, be compulsory if you have a child. And you should also do it again every 3years. Because if anything that is what makes a difference rather than cutting grapes in half.
Remember young children, under 5yo, don't just choke on grapes. They choke on small objects, coins, a mouthful of sausage. As you can't prevent all the causes of chocking, knowing how to react is the best you can do.

I'm a grape chopper, and a sausage lengthways chopper. DD was a choker when being weaned (not just a gagger), an eyes bulging choker. I've had to slap all sorts out of her, and it's absolutely terrifying.