If your child chokes on something do you report the product?

[Lorddenning1]

My 2 year old has choked this morning on some cereal, and after closer inspection they are quite hard and the perfect shape to block small children's air ways, even after sitting in milk for a while they are still hard. There is no warning on the box and I have checked with friends and they give their small children this too.
Do I report it to the supermarket or do I chalked this down to experience that all small children have the potential to choke on anything.
It was the scariest 2 mins of my life, watching my baby boy not be able to breath, I had to use the Heimlich maneuver around 5 times to get it out :( he then threw up and amongst the sick, the hard cereal was whole and was causing him to choke, what do I do now, I feel like I need to warn people, please be kind as I'm a bag of nerves now.

Loads of children eat chocolate cereal - I'm a childminder and most of my school children say they eat choco pillows etc at home.
If families have chocolate cereal of course they are going to let 2 year olds have it as well as older children.

I'd assume chocolate cereals are aimed at young children as well as older children to be honest, why wouldn't it be? Unless there's something on the box that says 'unsuitable for under 3s'

It might not be healthy/good for toddlers (or anyone) but that's not the same. Chocolate buttons aren't healthy either but they are definitely aimed at toddlers.

Thanks for your comments, I didn't realise people felt so strongly against chocolate cereal, both of my kids only have it at the weekend, they normally have weetabix cornflakes or rice crispies, but I let them pick a chocolate one for the weekends as a bit of a treat and they both get to pick one they like, they are not allowed fizzy pop and both are an ok weight, I could kick myself for allowing him to have it and it's defo opened my eyes to other potential risk, in also thinking of booking a first aid course aimed for children, I can't go through something like that again and not know what to do :(

So have you had him checked out?

Did everything really have to be labelled. Surely you can see from looking at it that it could be a choking hazard.

I’m glad he is ok

I have taken advice from my mother in law who is retired now, but she was a ward sister so knows her stuff. She said that he would if displayed illness by now if there was any damage and after it, he went to jump on the couch and went playing, she said the organs that would of been affected are the liver or spleen and we would know if they have been damaged. I'm happy with her advice, but I will be keeping a close eye on him too.

Complain? No as you can see the hazrd as soon as you pour It in the bowl. However it is worth saying that you feal an age limit should be put on the box. If not already.

If you really did the heimlich maneouver five times on a toddler you would have sought medical attention for him. I find this a bit odd now

I have seeked medical advice, from a trained high ranking nurse, if u could see him now, he is currently dancing around the living room to crazy frog.

Doing a belly dance, if that's relevant

Not a practising medical professional or a paeds specialist. Sounds like it wasn’t all that serious and you were after a Daily Fail sad face piece and some compensation.

Stick to weetabix or Coco Pops for weekend treat.

Cheers for that @Wolfiefan
MN at its finest, thank you to people for showing concern. MN is a lovely place at times, Christ

What did you want? It’s not the fault of the cereal manufacturers that your child choked. Either you didn’t actually give the Heimlich manoeuvre that many times or your child needs to be seen by an actual practising medical professional.

Toddlers are 1 year to 3 years so Ops child is a toddler

Personally I would report this Op, perhaps it isn’t stated on the box it isn’t for younger children but maybe it should be stated.

I’m so glad you managed to get it out you did amazing - choking is my worst fear with DS I’m getting myself a lifevac it terrifies me

Trainee childrens nurse, HCA and peadatric advanced first aider here. You need to get him checked out, irrelevant off over the phone advice he needs physically seeing. It is correct liver and spleen are the organs that could be damaged, liver/spleen damage can take over 24hrs to show, the thing with children is they go down very quickly. He could seem fine then suddenly crash, if he was chocking the heimlich should not have been the first thing you attempted as well. As its sunday you can phone 11 and a small chance they may say hes okay to not be seen but this will be done with direct medical advice, they can arrange to get you a OOH GP appotment or send you to a&e
If you dont belive me about 4 years ago a mum performed the heimlich on a small child as they were fine and she had some first aid training she didnt seek direct medical advice. The child died a little over 24hrs later.
Get your son some medical care know

Even as a fully grown adult I had to go to hospital to be checked out after the Heimlich manoeuvre was performed on me (dislodging the grape blocking my airway).

My children (22 months And 3.5) have managed that cereal fine, it's not round so I wouldnt necessarily see it as a chocking risk?

As others have said, anything can lead to chocking as scary as that is.

Please get little one checked out if you haven't after performing the heimlich manoeuvre.

@Mindgoinground12 I am now sat in A & E with him after ringing 111

Wow, I'm surprised that you thought that was cereal suitable to give a toddler? Of course there's a significant choking risk associated with it - look at the size and shape of the pieces! I also can't believe that it's taken you this long to get to A&E. I'm also a nurse - a child 'jumping around' does not negate that they have suffered internal injury. He needs seeing by a health professional. Sorry but your mother in law should know this, she's advised you really badly. A bit of a fail all round really OP

@Loaf90 thank you for that

Hope you’re both ok op

Thank you, just got home now and everything is ok :) I got a pat on the back from the doctor for the manoeuvre correctly, I'm actually I about at mumsnet today, for the most part people have been helpful but bloody hell, is this what this place has become lately, I'm no snowflake but the nastiness from some people, suppose that's what you get when u ask strangers on the internet for advice, it's a shame really because it used to be one of the first places I would ask for advice.

@Lorddenning1 unfortunately this place has become like that. I'm shocked at how many people have blamed you on this thread. A child can choke on pretty much anything.

Glad to hear your ds is ok.

So glad he's ok op.

Don't really think this is something to "report" though. Kids choke on stuff.
What would you do if he choked on a carrot? Report to farmers?

I'm actually I about at mumsnet today,

Mumsnet were a bit at you for not having your child checked out immediately. It took you ALL day to decide to do that.