Doctors have cautioned that grapes are the third most common cause of death among under-fives who die in food-related choking incidents.
The professionals say that a lack of awareness among parents, carers and health professionals could be putting children under the age of 5 at risk. Grapes should be at least halved (length-ways) to avoid getting stuck or blocking the small airwaves of an infant.
In response to requests from health visitors, community nursery nurses and early years staff, The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has developed the flyer shown below, ‘Finger Food without the Fear’.
The flyer highlights the risks of round-shaped foods and recommends to serve children ‘long and thin’ batons, as well as to remind children to ‘sit still when they eat’.
The aim is to outline the main choking risks from food and offer practical safety tips, so that babies, toddlers and young children can enjoy food without the risk of choking.
