INCIDENTS of children choking on grapes has shot up and in the wake of another tragic event a top doctor reveals what you NEED to know.
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| Are you aware of the dangers caused by a childhood lunchtime favourite? |
Devastating reports of children choking on this childhood favourite fruit snack seem to be on the increase.
Just today the parents of a six-year-old girl told of their heartbreak for the first time after losing their young daughter almost 18 months ago.
Speaking to a local paper, Rob and Kathy Lapsley revealed their devastation that daughter Jasmine never met her baby brother Joseph, who is now 12 weeks old.
A “normal family evening” in August 2014 turned in to horror after their young girl died just before midnight after choking on a grape.
Mrs Lapsley recalled seeing her daughter choking, as Mr Lapsley dived straight up to try and save his daughter with blows and abdominal thrusts.
Tragically, Jasmine was declared dead soon afterwards at 11.58pm.
A recent inquest heard there was a 25 minute wait for the ambulance to arrive.
Mr Lapsley has been unable to return to work suffering grief and stress, while both say the sight or mention of grapes leaves them “feeling sick” and “petrified.”
In October, Hartlepool toddler Jacob Jenkins, aged two, died in hospital five days after choking on a grape.
He was treated by paramedics after the fruit became lodged in his throat, but was then rushed to hospital and put into an induced coma.
After five days, his mother Abigail Wilson posted a tribute on her Facebook to say that her young son had “gained his angel wings.”
While choking incidents can be difficult to prevent, there are steps you can take to minimise risks and safe someone’s life in the event of an emergency.
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| Grapes have been known to cause many heartbreaking choking incidents in recent times |
The NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com spoke to Dr Elise Dallas, General Practitioner at babylon, the digital health service (babylonhealth.com) to offer advice for when a child’s choking:
What foods are particularly hazardous for choking and why?
“Round foods such as grapes, cherries, cherry tomatoes, raw peas and hard boiled sweets. Hard foods such as whole nuts, seeds, fruit with skin. Furthermore, sticky or chewy food such as peanut butter, chewy sweets, raw jelly, sausage and hotdogs, cheese cubes and chewing gum. Also, snack foods such as popcorn, chips and pretzels because they eat too quickly and don’t chew well.”
What steps should parents take to prevent the possibility of their child choking?
“The size of a young child’s trachea (windpipe) is about the size of a drinking straw in diameter. So with prevention strategies try to think of minimising access to any objects that size.
“Firstly think about general food safety. Closely supervise their children at mealtimes, offer foods cut up into small pieces with the skin removed - like.hot dogs, fruit - Teach children to take small bites, cut their food properly, chew thoroughly, not to drink/speak and eat at same time. And try not to eat whilst your child is on the run, moving or in a car
“Secondly, minimise access to small objects by child proofing your home – toys (with tiny parts, batteries, broken crayons, marbles), household objects (earrings, buttons, safety pins) and foods (as above) that can all be a choking hazard.
“Clear up when they’ve finished playing (i.e. with Lego, drawing with crayons), any spills - dry pasta, buttons.”
“Finally try to keep an eye on your children as much as possible when they play, especially in unfamiliar surroundings – e.g. at restaurants/cafes/friends home/playgrounds.”
Is there a way parents should cut up grapes to make them safer to eat?
“If you cut them in half they should be cut lengthways - NEVER horizontally - or serve grapes in quarters.”
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| Dr Dallas advises always watching out for potential choking hazards when around young children |
If a child starts to choke, what should a parent immediately do?
“If a child is coughing or gagging it means the airway is only partly blocked so encourage coughing, as this is the most effective way dislodge a blockage.
“If the child is unable to speak, making no sound at all or turning bright red or blue or unable to cough up the object then it means the airway is completely blocked and you need to help to remove it by giving back blows. If these do not relieve choking, give chest thrusts to infants or abdominal thrusts to children over one year. Immediately ask somebody to call for help but if you are alone, then give two minutes of care then call for help.
“Back blows are more effective if child is positioned head down so with an infant (aged 1 and under) place infant across lap, support the head - on either side of jaw, not compressing the soft tissues under the infants jaw - deliver five sharp back blows with the heel of one hand in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades.
“In a child over a year old, if the child is small you can place over lap (as above) or if not possible support child leaning forward and deliver blows from behind.
“If back blows have not dislodged the object, start chest thrusts for infants or abdominal (Heimlich manoeuvre) for children.
“For chest thrusts for infants, support the infant down your arm supported by your thigh, head down, face up. Place two fingers on breastbone, just below an imaginary line running between the nipples. Push straight down about 1-2 inches, then allow chest to return to normal position.
“For abdominal thrusts in child over a year old, kneel behind the child and wrap your arms around the waist, clench your fist and place between the belly button and bottom of breast bone. Grasp this hand with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and upward.
“Repeat the back blows and abdominal thrusts – five of each until the object is forced out or child starts to cough and encourage coughing at this stage. Each thrust and back blow should be separate and distinct attempt to dislodge the obstruction – rather than to give all five.”
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| Parents are advised to slice grapes lengthways before giving them to children |
What should they NEVER do?
“Do not attempt blind or repeated finger sweeps in the mouth to remove an object as these can push the object more deeply into the windpipe and cause injury.”
“It has been shown that more than one technique is needed to relieve the obstruction and it doesn’t matter which technique is used first. Therefore don’t just smack the back alone as this could move the food into a more dangerous position. If one technique is unsuccessful, try the others in rotation until the object is cleared.”
If they aren’t having any luck dislodging the item, what should they do?
“If the item cannot be dislodged the child will become unconscious and you will need to start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).”
“Lie the child on a flat surface, remove any obvious object in mouth. Open airway and give five rescue breaths, by covering the child’s nose and mouth with your mouth - if chest doesn’t rise, reposition head and attempt rescue breath again.
"Start chest compressions. In infants place two fingers in centre of chest just below imaginary line running between the nipples and start compressing the chest about 1-2 inches straight down.
"With children – use the heel of the hand instead. With arm straight above the chest, compress down about one third of depth of chest.
“Continue at a ratio of 15 chest compressions: two rescue breaths.”
At what point does it become critical?
“At the point where the child becomes unconscious and you need to attempt CPR. It is vital to call for help as quickly as possible.”
“Lastly, although I have lain out basic steps for choking and CPR it is always best to take a ‘Paediatric basic life support course or First Aid Course’ to learn and practice the proper techniques as this is one of the best ways to help you deal with this situation if unfortunately it ever happened.”
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