As a parent, you spend 90% of your time cutting your child’s food into small pieces and only 10% on everything else.
It can seem like all you do when you have a child who eats solid food is cut up bananas, dice peaches, slice hot dogs, and check every food source for choking hazards. Advertisement.
Because a) there are so many of them (no child asks for just one grape), b) they’re already pretty small, which makes them a pain to cut, and c) we’ve been told over and over that grapes are poisonous, so you don’t want even one whole grape to get away. Advertisement.
But if you’ve ever wondered if your strict grape-slicing was based more on fear than actual risk, don’t worry—you won’t waste your time cutting those slippery suckers into quarters. A viral X-ray photo thats re-surfaced is once again reminding parents of their choking hazard.
The shocking photo, from Australian blogger Angela Henderson, shows a grape lodged in a five-year-olds airway. The little guy survived, but needed surgery to remove the grape.
“He is VERY lucky that part of his airway was open or else this could have ended badly. Remember that some kids don’t chew their food, are in a hurry to get to the playground, etc. ,” Henderson wrote on her Facebook page last year.
Grapes are dangerous because they are almost the exact size and shape of a child’s esophagus, making it easy for them to get stuck. S. speech and feeding therapist Lupé Garcia told Romper on Thursday.
“When a whole grape gets saliva on it, it makes it extra slimy and slippery, and it doesn’t take much to swallow it wrong,” Garcia said.
“When you slice them into quarters, they arent as hard, and arent prone to occlude [obstruct] the airway.”Advertisement
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that kids younger than four shouldn’t eat whole grapes. But Garcia said that even older kids eat too quickly sometimes, and that’s why parents should “watch their maturity and go from there.” “.
The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) says that choking is one of the main ways that babies and toddlers die from accidental injuries in Canada. Most foods involved in choking cases are small, round, or cylindrical in shape, CPS noted. Hot dog rounds, whole grapes, carrot slices, peanuts, seeds and hard candy, are some of the worst offenders.
“Every year in Canada, babies and children die from choking. It is possible to stop almost all of these deaths, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) said on its website. The hospital says that until a child is at least five years old, they should cut hot dogs and grapes into small pieces. Advertisement.
As parents, we go to great lengths to childproof our homes and keep our little ones safe. Cutting grapes and other small foods in half is an important choking prevention measure we take for babies and toddlers. But at what age can you relax and serve those bite-sized fruits whole? Let’s explore when it’s finally safe to stop halving grapes.
Why Grapes Pose a Choking Hazard
Grapes check all the boxes for a serious choking risk, especially for children under 5 years old
-
Small size – Whole grapes can fully block a child’s narrow airway.
-
Round shape – Spherical foods like grapes can wedge tightly in the throat.
-
Smooth texture – Seedless varieties easily slide down before being chewed properly.
-
Tough skin – The skin makes grapes extra firm and difficult to bite through.
When lodged in the throat, a grape completely seals off the airway. This prevents any air from getting through, making it impossible to cough, cry or breathe until the blockage is dislodged.
Even for older kids, the grape’s skin can pose problems. It takes more chewing skill to break through and crush a grape than softer foods like strawberries. So grapes deserve extra precautions.
Choking Statistics To Be Aware Of
Between 1986 and 2010, nearly 70% of choking fatalities in kids under 15 years involved food, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Hot dogs, nuts, seeds, raw carrots, apples, popcorn and grapes accounted for most food-related choking deaths.
Children under 5 years have the highest risk of choking on food and small objects. About one child dies from choking every 5 days in the U.S.
Kids ages 1-3 experience the most choking incidents, likely due to swallowing food whole before properly chewing and developing mature swallowing coordination.
Recommendations for Cutting Grapes
Based on their risky shape and texture, the American Academy of Pediatrics specifically advises parents to:
-
Cut foods like grapes into very small pieces or thin slices before serving to young children.
-
Avoid whole grapes for kids under 4 years old. Their airways are simply too narrow to safely pass a grape.
-
Slice grapes lengthwise, then into quarters. Even for older preschoolers, halving grapes lengthwise reduces the choking potential.
-
Stay nearby and supervise while kids eat grapes – just in case one goes down the wrong way.
-
Resist “just one time” exceptions in the interest of convenience – it only takes a split second for a grape to get lodged in a child’s throat.
What Factors Help Assess Choking Risk?
While age is a basic guideline, each child’s development, chewing skills and airway size should be considered when deciding if whole grapes are appropriate.
Age
-
Infants under 1 year should never have whole grapes – always blend or process to a smooth consistency.
-
Toddlers 1-3 years need grapes sliced into tiny pieces. Whole grapes are extremely dangerous at this age.
-
Around age 4, grapes can potentially be served halved, but quarters are safer. Strictly supervise.
-
By ages 5-7, halves may be an option for kids showing good chewing abilities. But staying vigilant is still crucial.
Individual Abilities
-
Children with sensory issues or poor chewing/swallowing coordination benefit from grapes staying sliced for longer.
-
Check if your child thoroughly chews and manages other foods well the same size and texture as grapes. If not, keep slicing.
-
Ensure your child sits still to eat and is not overly active, distracted or lying down when served grapes.
Grape Characteristics
-
Large, firm grapes are harder to bite through and pose more risk than smaller varieties – slice firm grapes even for older kids.
-
The tough skin makes red and green grapes harder to chew than softer black or purple grapes – factor this into your decision.
-
Seedless grapes are more slippery and slide down easily compared to varieties with seeds – greater precautions needed.
Set Clear Rules Around Grapes
To ensure safety, establish grape ground rules for your children:
-
Grapes must be eaten at the kitchen table – not walking around or in the car.
-
Sit up straight and pay attention while eating grapes – no TV, toys or books to distract from chewing properly.
-
Take small bites, chew thoroughly and swallow each grape completely before eating another.
-
Know not to stuff multiple grapes in the mouth at once.
-
Stop and take a drink if a grape doesn’t go down easily to push it through.
-
Never eat laying down – always remain upright while consuming grapes.
What to Do if Your Child Chokes on a Grape
Hopefully your rules prevent any choking incidents. But accidents can happen in a split second, even with careful preparation. If your child can’t cough, make noise or breathe after swallowing a grape, act immediately using choking first aid:
-
Perform back blows – lay child face down on your thigh and give 5 firm back smacks between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
-
Do quick chest thrusts – turn child face up and give 5 chest thrusts near center of chest.
-
Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until object is dislodged.
-
Call emergency services if child loses consciousness – begin CPR.
Practicing first aid will empower you to take quick, effective action if the unthinkable occurs.
Trust Your Parental Judgement
While guidelines provide a starting point, you know your child best. Go with your gut regarding your kid’s readiness for whole grapes based on their development, temperament and eating habits.
Delay whole grapes if you have any concerns about their ability to chew and swallow properly. You can always slowly introduce whole grapes under close supervision and revert back to slicing if needed.
With safety measures like cutting lengthwise and supervising closely during eating, grapes can still be part of a healthy, balanced diet for kids – while lowering the risk of a choking tragedy.
From Our Partners
Its basic math: parenthood is 90 per cent cutting your childs food into small pieces, and 10 per cent everything else.
It can seem like all you do when you have a child who eats solid food is cut up bananas, dice peaches, slice hot dogs, and check every food source for choking hazards. Advertisement.
Grapes are particularly pesky, because a) there are so many of them (no child requests just one grape), b) theyre already smallish, so super annoying to cut, c) weve been told over and over again that theyre dangerous, so you dont want to let even one whole grape slip through the cracks.Advertisement
But if youve ever wondered whether your militant grape-slicing was based more on paranoia than actual risk, rest assured that youre not wasting your time quartering those slippery little suckers. A viral X-ray photo thats re-surfaced is once again reminding parents of their choking hazard.
The shocking photo, from Australian blogger Angela Henderson, shows a grape lodged in a five-year-olds airway. The little guy survived, but needed surgery to remove the grape.
“He is VERY lucky that part of his airway was open or else this could have ended badly. Remember that some kids don’t chew their food, are in a hurry to get to the playground, etc. ,” Henderson wrote on her Facebook page last year.
“Please be careful. And when in doubt just cut the damn grapes, baby tomatoes etc.”Advertisement
The issue with grapes is that theyre almost the exact size and shape of a childs esophagus, so they can get lodged very easily, U.S. speech and feeding therapist Lupé Garcia told Romper on Thursday.
“When a whole grape gets saliva on it, it makes it extra slimy and slippery, and it doesn’t take much to swallow it wrong,” Garcia said.
“When you slice them into quarters, they arent as hard, and arent prone to occlude [obstruct] the airway.”Advertisement
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping whole grapes away from children under age four, Garcia said even older kids sometimes eat too quickly, and a parent should “watch their maturity and go from there.”
Choking is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury deaths in infants and toddlers in Canada, according to the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS). Most foods involved in choking cases are small, round, or cylindrical in shape, CPS noted. Hot dog rounds, whole grapes, carrot slices, peanuts, seeds and hard candy, are some of the worst offenders.
Grapes should be sliced lengthwise, CPS said.
“Every year in Canada, babies and children die from choking. Almost all of these deaths can be prevented,” the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) said on its website. The hospital recommends cutting grapes and hot dogs lengthwise and into small pieces until a child is at least five years old.Advertisement
Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.
Could you help us give our readers important information at this very important time? We can’t do it without you.
Cant afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Youve supported HuffPost before, and well be honest — we could use your help again. In this very important time, we think our mission to give free, fair news is very important, and we can’t do it without you.
No matter how many times you give, we appreciate it because it helps us keep our journalism free for everyone.
Youve supported HuffPost before, and well be honest — we could use your help again. In this very important time, we think our mission to give free, fair news is very important, and we can’t do it without you.
We appreciate your help in keeping our journalism free for everyone, whether you give just one more time or sign up to do it regularly.
A recent report about grapes in the medical journal BMJ pleaded for there to be more awareness of the choking hazards. Grapes are the third-most common cause of food-related choking deaths after hot dogs and candies, the authors noted.
Their report highlighted three cases of young children who choked on grapes. Two of them, age five and 17 months, died. Advertisement.
HOW TO CUT GRAPES CORRECTLY TO PREVENT CHOKING IN BABIES AND TODDLERS
FAQ
At what age can you stop cutting up grapes?
Do grapes need to be cut for 3 year olds?
How long can you keep cut grapes?
Should you cut grapes?
Kate Ball from Mini First Aid recommends continuing to cut grapes and suggests using a grape cutter for convenience and safety. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare – giving your child something to eat and seeing them choke on it.
What is the method to wash grapes to get rid of pesticides?
Scientific evidence shows that bicarbonate of soda might be effective for removing pesticide residues. The general recommendation is to soak for 15 minutes in 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of bicarb.
What age can you stop cutting grapes for your child?
Experts agree that while the common advice is to cut your child’s grapes until the age of five, it’s a good idea to cut the grapes of any primary school age child. ‘Primary school children may still have small airways, although they’re better at chewing and swallowing,’ they say.
How long should grapes be cut?
The CAPT advise that grapes should be chopped in half lengthways and ideally in quarters. Add a comment What age can you stop cutting grapes for your child? Experts agree that while the common advice is to cut your child’s grapes until the age of five, it’s a good idea to cut the grapes of any primary school age child.
Can you cut grapes in half to prevent choking?
You can cross one of those choking hazards off your list of worries by cutting grapes in half. Cutting grapes for babies requires slicing the grape into small sections in order to prevent choking. Sounds simple enough, right? Experts say there is a certain way of cutting grapes to avoid choking.
Should I cut grapes for my 5-year-old daughter?
A Facebook discussion initiated by a parent asking if she should still cut grapes for her 5-year-old daughter sparked varied responses from other parents. Experts, including the Child Accident Prevention Trust, advise cutting grapes for children due to choking hazards, with no fixed age to stop.