Do You Cut Up GRAPES For A 4 Year Old?

[littlemissmuffet]

To those who don't think it's necessary to cut up grapes for a 4 year old... I know of TWO 4-5 year olds who have choked on whole grapes! If you don't want to take the time to cut them, don't serve them.

[Play Care]

I cut up everyone's grapes. I cut a lot at once so I don't have to keep doing it throughout the meal. I keep any leftovers in a ziplock or a sealed bowl until the next day. No choking on my watch!

I do this as well. I did stop cutting my own kids grapes if I send them to school because older dd asked, but I did warn her that she needed to sit and chew carefully.

[Country Kids]

Before this gets into a HUGE debate on if a child can choke on grapes, the bottom line is anything that goes into anyones mouth (child/adult) is a choking hazard.

I have seen grown adults choke while drinking water, I have seen children choke while eating mashed potatos. If it goes in your mouth, there is the possibility of choking.

One of the dck's on parents watch, chocked on a pea and it came up through the nose!!!!

Now, back to the original question: do you cut up grapes for a four year old.

My answer: No

[littlemissmuffet]

Before this gets into a HUGE debate on if a child can choke on grapes, the bottom line is anything that goes into anyones mouth (child/adult) is a choking hazard.

I have seen grown adults choke while drinking water, I have seen children choke while eating mashed potatos. If it goes in your mouth, there is the possibility of choking.

One of the dck's on parents watch, chocked on a pea and it came up through the nose!!!!

Now, back to the original question: do you cut up grapes for a four year old.

My answer: No

True, but when something is a very obvious cause of choking - like grapes and hotdogs - why would you even risk it?

[nannyde]

I would never give a child under five a whole grape. It's like the number two choke food in america IIRC. (hot dogs are number one)

When we have grapes I destem and clean them and pop them in the freezer a couple hours before they are served. Right before they go to the kids I pop them in my food processor and do a couple of rounds of zipping them (ten seconds or so) and then pour them into a serving dish. I serve them like chunky applesauce.

The kids love the frosty treat and it eliminates the cutting them into quarters or eights. Half cuts are just as dangerous as whole cuts. Half cuts form a perfect plug in their airway and it's hard to get them out.

Simple solution and the time cost is just cleaning the food processor. Rinse and pop in dishwasher.

[Lianne]

To those who don't think it's necessary to cut up grapes for a 4 year old... I know of TWO 4-5 year olds who have choked on whole grapes! If you don't want to take the time to cut them, don't serve them.

And I know five hundred and ninety-two children 4-5 year olds and younger who have never choked on a grape....

But thanks for assuming I'm too lazy to take the time to cut up grapes for children with a full mouth of teeth instead of TEACHING them to eat them properly without choking. Oh, and I have a mother. I don't need someone telling me, as an adult, to stop serving something in my own home.

If you want to cut up grapes for the children in your home, great. Have at it. I choose not to, in my home. Great again.

[Country Kids]

True, but when something is a very obvious cause of choking - like grapes and hotdogs - why would you even risk it?

I figure every time they sit down to eat a meal, no matter what there is on the plate is a risk.

Not that I go into super overdrive on it but I know that what ever is on the plate, the child might not chew right/not swallow right/inhale if they start to cough/whatever.

Eating is just a risk in its self-everything is an obvious risk.

[Willow]

When we have grapes I destem and clean them and pop them in the freezer a couple hours before they are served. Right before they go to the kids I pop them in my food processor and do a couple of rounds of zipping them (ten seconds or so) and then pour them into a serving dish. I serve them like chunky applesauce.

Stealing this idea and going to try it today!!! Could even play them off as a dessert maybe??!

Absolutely love love LOVE it and I think my dc kids will too!!!!!!!!!

[mema]

I quarter them for all dck's.

[makap]

And I know five hundred and ninety-two children 4-5 year olds and younger who have never choked on a grape....

But thanks for assuming I'm too lazy to take the time to cut up grapes for children with a full mouth of teeth instead of TEACHING them to eat them properly without choking. Oh, and I have a mother. I don't need someone telling me, as an adult, to stop serving something in my own home.

If you want to cut up grapes for the children in your home, great. Have at it. I choose not to, in my home. Great again.

So even with you knowing that this is a safety risk? A possible choking hazzard?? You would take the risk?

[makap]

I cut up everything! No way in H*** is anything EVER going to happen to a child in my care if I can take the steps to prevent it in any way possible!!!




Cause of death of girl confirmed as choking

http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x657340666/Cause-of-death-of-girl-confirmed-as-choking

Choking deaths are alarmingly high, new study says

http://news.consumerreports.org/safety/2010/04/childhood-choking-fatalities-and-hospitalizations.html

Choking Is a Leading Cause of Injury and Death Among Children

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100226212559.htm

Child Dies After Choking on Grape at MN Daycare

http://childaccidentlawyer.com/2010/06/child-chokes-on-grape-at-mn-daycare-dies/

[LK5kids]

I would never give a child under five a whole grape. It's like the number two choke food in america IIRC. (hot dogs are number one)

When we have grapes I destem and clean them and pop them in the freezer a couple hours before they are served. Right before they go to the kids I pop them in my food processor and do a couple of rounds of zipping them (ten seconds or so) and then pour them into a serving dish. I serve them like chunky applesauce.

The kids love the frosty treat and it eliminates the cutting them into quarters or eights. Half cuts are just as dangerous as whole cuts. Half cuts form a perfect plug in their airway and it's hard to get them out.

Simple solution and the time cost is just cleaning the food processor. Rinse and pop in dishwasher.

Yikes!!!! I won't be serving halved grapes either. I'll try the freeze and blend method!

[LK5kids]

I don't serve grapes at all. Or hot dogs. Just not worth the risk to me.

But my son is 6.5, my daughter 4 and I still cut there grapes and hot dogs. It takes me a minute and may prevent a tragic accident.

I can understand 100% why the dcd was surprised and prefers it be cut. Honestly I would be too. There is a list of foods I do NOT serve simply because they pose a choking hazard.

From the AAP website:
"Hot dogs are the food most commonly associated with fatal choking among children.12 A hot dog shares the physical characteristics described above for high-risk toys. It is cylindrical, airway sized, and compressible, which allows it to wedge tightly into a child's hypopharynx and completely occlude the airway. Other high-risk foods include hard candy, peanuts/nuts, seeds, whole grapes, raw carrots, apples, popcorn, chunks of peanut butter, marshmallows, chewing gum, and sausages. 12 Many of these foods, such as round candy, grapes, marshmallows, and meat sticks/sausages, share the same high-risk physical characteristics that create effective plugs for the pediatric airway. Similar to latex balloons, peanut butter can conform to the airway and form a tenacious seal that is difficult to dislodge or extract."

http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...125/3/601.full

No, I don't serve hot dogs either!

[Lianne]

So even with you knowing that this is a safety risk? A possible choking hazzard?? You would risk a child's life????????

I feel that's a little dramatic. Actually, a lot dramatic.

A child can choke on water and die from it. So, do I stop serving water?

Taking a child for a walk can be dangerous. A car/driver can lose control and crash into us while walking. Do I stop taking children outside?

A child can drown in a bathtub, even when properly supervised. Do I stop bathing children?

A child could trip on a toy, fall and bag his head, causing a concussion that results in death. Do we not allow toys to be played with on the floor?

Life is one big safety risk and rather than living in fear, I prefer to teach the children in my care how to co-exist with safety risks and that includes eating whole grapes.

[Blackcat31]

So even with you knowing that this is a safety risk? A possible choking hazzard?? You would take the risk?

There are LOTS of things that are safety risks that we still do. We just do them with caution.

It isn't like she is letting her daycare kids play with knives and praying they don't get cut.

I personally cut the grapes in half IF I think the child in question (no matter their age) is not capable or developmentally not able to chew properly.

I have 3 yr olds that eat with fantastic table manners, use silverware appropriately and chew with their mouths closed while sitting correctly at the table.

I have 5 yr olds who can't sit still while at the table, stuff their mouths full, hardly chew anything and think meal time is a race to the death.

Guess who gets their grapes cut up?

For me it is about knowing each child and knowing what they are capable of doing. It is also about teaching them to eat properly and exposing them to things that could be potential hazards but cannot be ignored unless they plan on never eating grapes in their life times.