choking hazards and preschoolers

[lolar2]

I know marshmallows are a no-go until age 6, and grapes, grape tomatoes, carrot coins and hot dogs/ sausages have to be cut lengthwise. What about taffy and Starburst candy? When does popcorn become OK? What about tortilla chips and/ or hard taco shells? Raw baby carrots? Raw celery? Nuts? When can peanut butter be spread more thickly?

[MJB]

My kids have eaten all of those things since 1 (well other than candy/marshmallows which came a little later) and never choked. I thought those recommendations were for babies.
My 4 yr. old eats baby carrots, celery and dip several times a week, loves chips and guacamole, and makes his own PBJs so the peanut butter is pretty thick! We all eat popcorn when we go to the movies. I don't see how a 4 yr. old would be more at risk of choking than a 6 yr. old.

[Red Pajama]

I still cut the grapes for my two year old, but only cut the grapes for one of my older boys (5) if he "hoovers" them-- meaning he sucks them into his mouth. Other than that, everything else is eaten without excessive preperation.

In fact, the 5 year olds are offended if I cut their stuff "like babies".

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by MJB

My kids have eaten all of those things since 1 (well other than candy/marshmallows which came a little later) and never choked. I thought those recommendations were for babies.
My 4 yr. old eats baby carrots, celery and dip several times a week, loves chips and guacamole, and makes his own PBJs so the peanut butter is pretty thick! We all eat popcorn when we go to the movies. I don't see how a 4 yr. old would be more at risk of choking than a 6 yr. old.

The recommendations I've seen are for children under 6. I guess it's because the airways get bigger at about age 6.

[Alyantavid]

My almost 4 year old eats all of those things and has for some time, without any special cutting. I've never heard you shouldn't feed marshmallows until 6.

[zeldamomma]

Originally Posted by lolar2

I know marshmallows are a no-go until age 6, and grapes, grape tomatoes, carrot coins and hot dogs/ sausages have to be cut lengthwise. What about taffy and Starburst candy? When does popcorn become OK? What about tortilla chips and/ or hard taco shells? Raw baby carrots? Raw celery? Nuts? When can peanut butter be spread more thickly?

I think those recommendations are for daycare and preschool. My kids have never been inclined to choke-- they seemed well able to control the food in their mouths, and so I tended to let them have things on the choking hazrd list fairly young. I had friends whose kids choked on stuff like yogurt, and the had to be much more careful, much longer.

I would recommend you look at how well your child can eat, and make decisions based on that.

I would consider Starburst and Taffy to be fairly advanced food (not for kids you wouldn't trust with a marshmallow or hot dog)

[lolar2]

I found the AAP paper at http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;125/3/601

They were saying that children 4 and under don't chew as effectively as older children (that is, as far as their mouth anatomy).

[ShadowMoon]

I kind of follow my DS's lead with these things. He's had grapes, nut butters, veggie dogs chopped up, popcorn, cashews, etc. He's taken a few bites that were too big and it gave him a bit of scare, but he always tries again and will take smaller portions the next time.

I try to teach him to chew slowly and he takes it very seriously. But that's just my kiddo.

I would follow your instincts and your child's leads instead of recommendations. They are there for good reason, but every child is unique.

[Bug-a-Boo's Mama]

DS, 4y4m, has no restrictions on what he eats. I do not cut any of the things you mentioned for him before he eats. Meats I still cut in pretty small bits but that is because they might be harder to chew-so much better to have a smaller bite than a large bite.

[attached2ethan]

Yeah, I don't cut up any of that stuff anymore for my 4yo. In fact, he just had his first piece of hard candy the other day- it was fine, but I was still a little nervous about that- I just taught him to bite down and crunch it up right away.

I stopped slicing grapes, hot dogs, etc...around age 2-3 I think.

[alegna]

My not-quite-2-yr old eats all of those. I *watch* him, but he's fine.

-Angela

[PreggieUBA2C]

Originally Posted by lolar2

The recommendations I've seen are for children under 6. I guess it's because the airways get bigger at about age 6.

The larnyx can take until 6 yrs of age to fully form, which is why croup is generally a non-issue for children 6 and older whereas it is potentially life-threatening for children under age 6 whose larnyx's may not hold the airway open when swollen from a virus.

If a child with a not-fully-developed larnxy had an object lodged in the airway, the swelling could close up the airway completely and make it nearly or completely impossible to dislodge the object.

As an aside, there are (at least) two approaches to this issue, imo; and I tend toward a little of both. In our family, our infants put small objects into their mouths and learn very early on how to deal with choking. After the second baby, I recognised the futility of trying to keep small objects away from our babies (by seeing others do it); whereas with the first two I didn't stop them from picking up bits of things and sticking them in, I did stay right there watching, but with the others I have not been spending my days crawling around next to them as infants and have no idea how much stuff they've tasted and swallowed.

I do know that they have had those little one-pice lego pieces and other objects like them in their mouths without incident, and when they've choked, their reflexes and instincts have been fully intact, so I don't worry.

Our eldest did end up with an object stuck in his mouth, but it was too large, not too small. I just maneuvered it out and he learned that things that size and shape can become stuck, so he chose on his own to explore the object without putting it into his mouth again. He licked it and mouthed it, but didn't put it in again.

As for eating, we don't eat most of the 'danger' foods anyway, but I have sliced grapes for our two yr old because he doesn't like biting through 'skin' on anything, but will do so if there is some of the interior of the food exposed already. I do choose carrots for him that are of a size that is unlikely to pop off into his throat when he bites them. He does know what to do when choking, but I do prefer to give him the most comfortable eating experience I can- which goes for our whole family.

[Llyra]

I once watched a five year old child, in a school I worked at, die right in front of our eyes after swallowing a whole grape. EMS was called right away, and four adults did the Heimlich, multiple times, correctly. Sometimes it doesn't work. She died while we were waiting for EMS.

She was old enough and mature enough to chew. But sometimes things just go down. It happens, when kids are talking with their mouths full, or laughing, or just not being particularly attentive. It even happens when you're sitting right next to them.

I cut anything that's of a size to become lodged-- grapes, small tomatoes, cherries, hot dog chunks, etc. I cut them even for DD1, who's 5. We don't eat candy, but if we did, I'd cut that, too. I believe in the recommendation to do so until age 6, because it happens all too often. I have a friend who's an ER nurse, and she is constantly reminding me of this, because she's seen too many kids die, or suffer irreversible damage due to lack of oxygen, because of the Heimlich failing in small children.

I don't fuss about stuff like popcorn, sharp chips, etc., because even if those become lodged, they're not a size and shape to completely block the airway.

[leighi123]

I dont cut anything like that for ds, and never have sense he started eating solids at 12months old (he was EBF until a week before his 1st bday)

He has never choked, although when he was little, gagged once in a while. He only eats at the table, not while jumping around or in the car or anything, and eats with the rest of the family, so if something happend we'd be right there.

I think its silly to cut up stuff for older kids! I dont cut my own food like that and I could choke from a lot of it too.


Oh and the marshmellow thing - there was a few cases of older kids who died from playing the game 'chubby bunny' where you stuff a bunch in your mouth at once- I guess marshmellows melt if they are in your mouth for a while, and if the 'goo' goes in your throat you choke and there is no way to get the 'goo' out. Eating one marshmellow at a time, taking bites, or eating small marshmellows shouldnt be an issue though!

(my ds will probably never have a marshmellow b/c they arent vegetarian)

[GuildJenn]

I know a woman whose mother died in a restaurant due to choking on food. It's hard. There is no 100% safe.

My 4.5 year old eats most things, but we concentrate on general food safety at this point:

- sit down while you're eating
- eat at a civilized pace; don't laugh and eat or talk and eat
- don't 'hoover' (thanks for the description above) your food
- cut your food into pieces

I do still slice hot dogs and carrots and stuff...most of the time. Just a quick slice. Grapes I've let go.

About a month ago my son choked - really choked, couldn't breathe or talk - on a piece of steak. My mum had been cutting his meat and he got her to leave a big piece. I was stepping behind him to do first aid when he got it up himself. It was soooooooooooo scary.

[loraxc]

I am pretty cautious about this, having choked to the point of being really scared before.

That said, I do think watching your kid (after age 2 or so) probably can dictate how careful you are. DD is very kinetic and also talks nonstop. I definitely did not give her whole carrots, hot dogs or grapes till over age 4. DS likes to lean his head over backwards and to the side while he eats, so I'm careful with him, too. I have known young kids who seem very "safe" with this stuff, though. One thing I would say is that I hate to see whole grapes at playdate snacks where the kids are all running around and snagging food and then running around again.

[corrio]

I think all kids need to be watched to a point when eating.. A firend of mine whose 7 year old daughter was eating orange slices choked and died, I know this girl wasnt the type to sit still and eat nicely and slowly but it just went down her throat the wrong way and they were unable to get it..

I know I let my 2and up have whole grapes, hot dogs but I make sure I am next to her and teach eating is for eating and not playing around..

Life is tough and we never know whats going to happen next but it doesnt mean we have to live in fear..

[Jessy1019]

Wow! Six?! For marshmallows??

We never followed any of the guidelines for, well, much of anything. I have a 4 year old who has been eating popcorn (especially at the movies) since he was about 2, and eating all of those other things since around the same age (maybe not hard candy and starbursts, but definitely TACOS! Geez!

[nextcommercial]

I cut the grapes and the hot dogs for kids under three. But, beyond that, I don't.

Baby carrots are kinda dangerous. Not so much for choking on the whole thing, but for inhaling some of it while you chew. I've seen that happen a lot.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by MJB

My kids have eaten all of those things since 1 (well other than candy/marshmallows which came a little later) and never choked. I thought those recommendations were for babies.
My 4 yr. old eats baby carrots, celery and dip several times a week, loves chips and guacamole, and makes his own PBJs so the peanut butter is pretty thick! We all eat popcorn when we go to the movies. I don't see how a 4 yr. old would be more at risk of choking than a 6 yr. old.

FEW!!! When I was reading the OP, I was getting nervous because i thought I was some sort of absentee, idiot mother!

Ditto, my kids are eating all these things, and the little guy only has four teeth, with another 4 trying, but unsuccesfully coming through.

He had marshmellows for easter (Meema gave him some in his basket) I do cut the hotdogs for everyone, but I dont mince them. I am just always present when they are eating.