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.

I admit I’ve stopped cutting recently for dd as she’s almost 7. After reading this thread I 100% will be slicing them for her, and I think for myself to be honest.

It is scary that this is not common knowledge though, or wasn’t until recently. When dd was small my mum used to give her whole grapes, in fact I have a photo of her aged about 2 with a whole grape in her mouth smiling..which makes me so nervous now. I saw a post on Facebook about slicing them and told my mum, she said she’d never heard of it and never cut mine. I still have to remind her now.

Also saw a post going round about mini eggs and that they’re a good size to choke on? Not so easy to cut so I just haven’t given her any in a while.

*remind her to cut them for ds, but like I say I’ll also include dd. She choked on a piece of carrot once and I still remember the feeling.

We've stopped cutting my 3 year old's grapes, but only because we've told her that she must bite into every single one herself and she's totally reliable on this. She's nearly 4 now though. I think it depends on the child.

You definitely are!!

My son is 8 tomorrow. I still cut his grapes and his plum tomatoes. It's a small effort that could save a life.

Someone very close to me died chocking on a grape - fully grown adult many, many years ago. I’ve been cutting grapes for my children until they were quite old.
It happens.

I can’t be bothered to cut grapes so I just don’t buy them. Problem solved.

Janus

I knew this too. Awful

When I am at home with my 4 year old we don't cut them as I am with her when she is eating. If we are out and about or she goes to preschool then they are cut as I can't guarantee that she is being watched/monitored closely enough. I think it's good for her to learn to eat them whole but it's about risk assessing the situation

YABVU

Cut the bloody grapes!!

When I am at home with my 4 year old we don't cut them as I am with her when she is eating.

But that's the point, sometimes there is nothing you can do if it becomes lodged, well nothing that is guaranteed to be effective anyway.

When I am at home with my 4 year old we don't cut them as I am with her when she is eating.

The risk of her chocking doesn't remove itself because you are with her.

If we are out and about or she goes to preschool then they are cut as I can't guarantee that she is being watched/monitored closely enough.

I don't understand your logic.

OP a child got brain damage a few years ago because they had popped a grape into their mouth and swallowed without chewing and it got stuck in his wind pipe - I think it was a 4 year old. However even in relation to the older child - I once sat on a train with a mother a child, the boy and swallowed something which if it turned would completely cut off the airway, the mother was trying to stay calm and talking to a paramedic who was going to meet them at the next station, it was just awful - the boy was about 10 - even older kids are prone to lapses of concentration. So cut the grapes!

grapes, cherry tomatoes, large blueberries MUST be cut in half or even quarters for children.
they are very slippy when wet and are sadly the cause of deaths across the world each year. Once wedged in a childs trachea / throat they are horrendous to try and remove and prevent the child breathing.
taking two minutes to cut them is essential.

Sausages and grapes absolutely cut them.

A friend of mine witnessed a child of 3 choking in a hotel at breakfast.

Couple of medics were there, and it took some work to dislodge it.

It was deeply traumatizing for the people witnessing it, not to mind the poor parents.

Years ago the front of the Sunday Times Magazine had a picture of the most beautiful little boy who was left brain damaged after choking on a grape.
Heartbreaking.

Wouldn't risk it for a second.

I honestly think I'll still be cutting grapes until he leaves home. It's one of those anxieties, why wouldn't you?!?

@lpchill how exactly do you think you're going to save her when she's choking when sometimes actual paramedics can't.

At the risk of being flamed, I never cut grapes for DD. I didn't know it was a thing and she liked to pick them off the stalk.

she's totally reliable on this any distraction, change of environment, not having grapes for a while and it going out of mind could change this - no 4 year old is reliable. Or you would let them make you cups of tea and send them off in the car to do the weekly supermarket shop.

I would cut them for all ages.

I was on a first aid course, and were told that when an ambulance get a call with someone choking on a grape, they know they will probably be dead when they get there.

Cut them always.

You wouldn't be asking this question if you;d ever seen a child choke on a grape. I stopped when my son was about 8 but if he takes grapes to school I still cut them, you never know if someone much smaller than him will grab one.

I still do for my 7 year old if I think they look big

@xxKatie9806xx
My 10 year old ds choked on a piece of beef a few weeks ago. It was awful but Dh managed to dislodge it enough so I could pull it out.

Fwiw, I always cut up grapes even for my 7 and 10yr old.

I must have been about 3 when I choked on a segment of clementine. I don't remember it but my mum said she had to stick her fingers down my throat and pull it out, and she cried for days afterwards.

As others say, it's just not worth the risk.

I'd still cut the 3 year olds, you'd never forgive yourself if they choked.
It doesn't take long, and I'm sure they aren't having more than a handful.