To not cut grapes

[FreedomBird]

I have a 3 and a 7 year old. And I no longer cut their grapes.

Me and DP had a massive barney about it last night and I’d like to know if I’m BU.

My DD could have died when she choked on a grape which had already been halved, but cut the wrong way, when she was 4.
Her lips had turned blue by the time the nursery got her to bring it back up. They got a terrible fright and banned grapes completely after that.

A pp has said but they need to be cut length ways, I've been to so many party's where they are cut width way. This is worse than a whole grape as perfectly plugs the windpipe with nothing to grab hold of/dislodge

Why the hell wouldn't you?

Stupid thing to argue about. Stupid to take the chance.

Cut them lengthways. Takes seconds.

Depends if you'd like your DC to die/end up brain damaged really

https://www.capt.org.uk/news/why-are-grapes-so-dangerous

I'll c&p it because if you're too lazy to cut up grapes for your children, you're probably too lazy to click the link. See if you can be bothered to read why you're supposed to cut up grapes.

Doctors have issued a stark warningg* that young children can choke to death on whole grapes, describing three cases of children who needed emergency treatment:

•	A five-year-old boy choked while eating grapes at an after-school club. Despite first aid, the grape could not be dislodged and the child had a heart attack and died.


•	A 17-month-old boy choked while eating grapes with his family at home. Paramedics were called and the grape was eventually removed but the little boy still died.


•	A two-year-old choked while snacking on grapes in the park. He suffered two seizures and spent five days in intensive care before thankfully making a full recovery.

The doctors warn that food is responsible for over half of all fatal choking accidents, with grapes the third most common cause of death in food-related incidents.

Why are grapes so dangerous?

The size and shape of grapes means they can completely plug a child’s airway. And the tight seal produced by the grape’s smooth surface makes them difficult to dislodge with standard first aid techniques.
Young children are particularly vulnerable to choking on grapes because:

•	They don’t have a full set of teeth and are still learning to chew properly.
•	Their swallow reflex is still developing.
•	Their airway is very small.

It’s why we advise that grapes should be chopped in half lengthways and ideally in quarters

My kids are 12 & 15, I still cut their grapes

My Nan choked on a grape a few years ago, she was 79. Grapes have a tendency to shoot to the back of your throat when you bite them I find.

Grapes are the right shape to get stuck and cause choking, nothing to do with how they are chewed/eaten. why take the chance. Enough said

From memory, the 5 main food choking hazards for under 5s are grapes, boiled sweets, popcorn, whole nuts, and hotdog sausages. Please take care with all these foods. Its definitely worth doing a paediatric first aid course as well so you feel more confident if you have to give back slaps. It's best to do them in person obviously but you can easily find free ones online as well.

Omg can't believe your even asking this!!!!!! Especially about the three year old! Jesus! I still cut them for my 6 year old and watch him while he's eating them!!

Massively U.
I still cut them and dd is 9!
However I do that because she has a real problem sitting still while eating and she’s always wriggling about

I cut grapes for my 4 and 8 year old as it’s a known choking hazard. My 8 year old cuts his own now (with a blunt knife) as he’s so used to it. Not worth the risk for something that can be done in a few minutes.

I cut grapes for my DSC (6 and 3) but not for my DC (10 and an adult). DS2 can manage to chew food competently, and wouldn’t want his grapes cut.

I’m not sure when I’ll stop doing it for DSD. She’s got several food-based behavioural issues that mean I wouldn’t necessarily trust her to chew grapes properly and I can’t see anything changing there in the near future.

My colleagues son died at 3 from choking on a grape. Don't be a dick.

Reverse?

I still cut grapes for my dc and some are a lot older than 7! It’s just a quick thing to do which could avert a massive disaster so why wouldn’t you ?

I've always cut grapes for my kid, when she was in hospital I had a punnet of grapes for her and every nurse told me to cut them.
Obviously they've seen the results if you don't.
Shocked beyond belief when I went to a 3yo birthday party and nobody was cutting grapes including the manager of the nursery the children attended!

For the 3 year old yes, 7 no

@ScarfLadysBag

Same! A two year old died in the town where my sister lives. A friend worked at the restaurant where it happened and said it was horrific.

Squish them between two plates, run a long knife through. Takes a few seconds.

OP has already (sensibly) said she is going to cut them now.

We didn’t know about this when my D.C. were young. However it’s a known risk now and I would never give an under 5 grapes without cutting them.

Get your DH to cut them?

After seeing a child choke at nursery I still cut grapes for DS because 'the fear' has never left me. He's 16 so I may be a little OTT ...

I'll c&p it because if you're too lazy to cut up grapes for your children, you're probably too lazy to click the link. See if you can be bothered to read why you're supposed to cut up grapes

Well, aren't you a charmer?

Can I just add other fruit can be dangerous too- I choked very badly on a pineapple chunk aged 8, it compressed in my windpipe making it very difficult to dislodge

Yes cut them, it's not worth the risk. I've stopped buying grapes because dh kept "forgetting" to cut them for 2yo and 4yo. He thinks I'm being melodramatic, I think he's an idiot.

Cancel the cheque.