cutting grapes

[carolinamama]

DS1 is 4.5 years old and I still cut grapes. During nursing school, I met a child who had choked on a grape, the parents weren't able to get it out with the Heimlich and he had a terrible anoxic brain injury. He was going to spend the rest of his life in a facility that could handle his continuous medical needs. If we are out and I can't cut the grapes (no access to a knife and grapes served as playgroup snack) DS knows to bite half of it off and chew that one before eating the other half. I sit right next to him to make sure he is really doing it.

[JTsMom]

I still cut them too, and I remember Masyn's story every time I do it.

[newg]

the kid refuses to take bites of things, and will shove anything that fits in her mouth in all at once. She seriously almost choked on scrambled eggs this weekend, because she stuffed so much in at one time. (Really, DH yanked her out of her chair and had her over his knee before she managed to spit it back out - the look of panic on her face was heart wrenching.) I have no idea what to do with her, but I will definitely be cutting her grapes for a long, long time!

Sarah

DD is the same way. It must be a two-yr old thing.........she just shoves it in her mouth and I'm totally terrified she's going to choke.
What I've started doing is if I notice she's in a "shoveling mood" I just don't put that much on her plate/tray and we've started asking her to show us her empty mouth before we put more food down......she thinks it's a game and I feel better knowing she doesn't have chipmonk cheeks as she puts more food in her mouth!!

[HIU8]

DS is 5.5 and I still cut them for him. Heck, he loves the inside, but hates the skin so I even peel his. I quarter DD's (she is almost 3) and I will continue to do so for a couple more years.

[daisymommy]

Fairy, I will never forget your post. I let DH read it that day. I'm still cutting up grapes for Hannah who just turned 4.

[lcarlson90]

DS1 is 5 and I still cut his grapes and hot dogs. I am ultra paranoid about choking too.

[boolady]

Another one I never particularly thought about before was melon, but one of my best friends' DD choked on a piece of honeydew last summer and her DH had to Heimlich her to get it out. I guess it's really anything firm enough, if cut to a dangerous size, given the size of their windpipe. I remember reading somewhere when DD was about a year old that her windpipe was the diameter of her pinky finger. Is that a gauge that follows them as they grow, or at some point do the proportions change? I still use that comparison to scare DH into cutting her food small enough.

[Fairy]

My kids are 4.75 and 2.5. I always cut DS2's grapes. DS1 I usually cut them (lunchbox etc) but he might on occasion be allowed to eat them off of say a cheese platter. Fairy's post DID make an impression.
/hillary

Fairy, I will never forget your post. I let DH read it that day. I'm still cutting up grapes for Hannah who just turned 4.

Hillary & Amy, I'm glad (and sorry) to have been able to make a difference, here. It really does haunt me sometimes. We all have something we're kind of extreme about; I thougth carseats and maybe sleep were mine, but choking hazards had never entered my mind. Who knew?!

I don't know where my head is, but I never thoguht of biting into the grape when you don't have slicing ability! Duh, Hil! I go a little ape when we're out and he dives for them on a fruit tray (after keeping them away from him for months, I know I know), and I tell him "chew, chew, chew!" and he just rolls his eyes at me, but I just hover as he eats them. Why not just tell him, DS, please make sure you always bite them in half first? Brilliant and simple, and my head just never went to it. Thank you!

Ok, I have to know. How do you guys go about peeling your grapes? The obvious way, or is there a simple method I'm missing?

[cas]

Yes we absolutely cut grapes (DS is five). I actually know of a 5 year old who died this winter choking on a grape. Parents could not get it out and he died in front of them. Just horribly awful.
I know I can't protect my kids from everything and that accidents happen, but this is one easy thing I can be proactive about.

[arivecchi]

We're still cuting grapes here too. DS1 is 3.5 yo now. I will always remember Fairy's post and will be cutting their grapes and other foods that are choking hazards until they go to college.