PSA - Do Not Underestimate Food Choking Hazards Like I Just Did.

[Fairy]

In DS's 4.5 years of life on this earth, tonight was the first time I thought he really truly might not live to see the next minute. DS was sitting on the love seat eating his dinner, I was on the other couch right next to him on my laptop and had, as a matter of fact, just posted to a thread here. He was watching something I'd tivo'd. Most days, we eat at the table. But, once or twice a week, I let him have "special dinner on the couch" for a variety of reasons. Tonight was fishsticks, cooked carrots and cauliflower, and ... grapes. And I've been jazzed about these grapes all week since they, along with most of the produce I bought at Trader Joe's last week, are organic. Nice, healthy, great.

He's halfway thru dinner, and I hear the telltale, nauseating sound of my child choking. Not water down the wrong pipe choking, I mean blocked airway choking. The rest couldn't have lasted more than six seconds start to sob. Longest six seconds of my life. When I looked up, he was his regular white kid skin tone and looked at me with the most heartbreaking panic in his eyes than I've ever seen in my child and immediately turned purple. We're talking bright, angry magenta. Right before my eyes. I must have thrown my computer cuz I found it on the floor at the opposite end of the couch. He started pointing to his throat. He's 4. Not 40, he's 4. Universal sign, indeed. His plate also went flying, like that matters one single bit. I am not kidding when I say the next thoughts went thru my mind at nanosecond velocity: I tried to remember in a very clinical way (WHACK WHACK WHACK) how to apply the heimlich to a child when he's short, I'm tall, I have a gut, there's no chair to heimlich him against, where's the right spot, there's the vase of straws, can I get one in his trachea, knife?, what are the odds I can do this myself, oh my god my baby is dying, don't panic or he'll panic, please god take me not my baby, please save my baby, now he's beet red, aware now that I'm in a full panic, where's the phone, should I dig my finger into his throat or will that dig it deeper, what exactly is he choking on, is this seriously happening, 5:1, 15:3, WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WAHCK

And then he coughed it up. It was a grape. Six seconds. Max. And I tried pathetically to control myself and not cry and said, "oh my gosh! I think you scared yourself, there, but you did a great job, Sweetie, it's ok, you're ok!" and held him, but I was uncontrollably shaking, and he looked at me like, "who are you kidding, Mommy?" and started to sob.

Needless to say, he was done with dinner.

DS will be 5 in September. Thank you God. I have been slicing his grapes in half this whole time until literally this year I went to do that and DH said, seriously, I think you can stop that now. I fully admit, I'm more of a worry wart kind of mom. But I relented and said, this is probably overkill now, he's not gonna choke on a grape at age 4.

BUT. HE. DID.

I implore all of you to take very dilligent care of not underestimating food items that are choking hazards. I'm not saying slice your kids grapes when they're 12. Or even never to feed your kids grapes and hot dogs, etc. But this is something I sort of took for granted that he'd aged out of and was shown the door on that assumption to the tune of a panic the likes of which I've never known. Ever. I remember being eleven years old, laying on my back on my bed and choking on a marble I had in my mouth (idiot) and feelign that kind of panic that I knew I might die if I didn't get it out, and I did get it out rather quickly. But even that self-preservationy kind of panic does not compare to the nauseating fear that your child might die.

I'm reminded of a post by Lorien_ca where she reminded us of choking hazards, tho I think she was talking balloons, but hot dogs were mentioned there, and I think of that alot, too, when DS eats a hot dog. And I felt it bore repeating.

I layed with DS for an hour when he went to sleep tonight. I never do that. A few minutes, done. Not tonight. It wasn't for his comfort but for mine. I've already checked on him twice. And I will be continuing to slice his grapes, once again.

-- Fairy

[shawnandangel]

Oh my goodness Fairy. I am so glad your DS is okay. I am nauseated just thinking about your post.

It's a good reminder. DD is just starting solids with little chunks in them and choking is one of my biggest fears.

Hugs to you mama.

[MontrealMum]

Oh my goodness - how scary! I am so glad your DS is OK I will certainly think more about what I offer him to eat from now on.

[bubbaray]

I'm so sorry, Hil. I'm glad he's OK, but I'm sorry you went through such a scary situation!

Hugs

[nofeea]

I am copying your post for DH to read. This is something we bicker about constantly and I will not give in. (My Ds is still only 2 1/2 but DD just turned 5 and I justed stopped cutting hers...) You just gave me new resolve. I'm glad it is with a happy ending. (To say the least)

[sarahsthreads]

That was a very, very powerful post. I am so incredibly glad he's OK!

I stopped cutting up grapes for DD1 a while ago, but I still cut her hot dogs lengthwise in quarters. She likes to nibble her grapes, so I feel OK with those being whole, but choking is one of my biggest parent fears.

I remember nearly choking on a hard candy when I was 10 or 11, and it's the scariest feeling, I can't even imagine watching it happen to your child.

I think I'm going to go check on my girls...

Sarah

[kristenk]

I'm so glad he's okay. That would have been terrifying.

I just noticed the CPR/first aid manual DH and I got when we took the Infant CPR class. I think I might look through it again tomorrow.

[dcmom2b3]

Fairy how awful! That's (literally) one of my nightmares. I'm so glad that he's okay. And can I just say that you rock? Lightning fast thinking and putting on a brave face for the kiddo? That's awesome.

[zag95]

WOW.... glad he's OK.... we had grapes for dinner tonight also- I cut DD's into quarters- I just want to be sure she doesn't choke....

thanks for the reminder about choking hazards...

[wencit]

Oh my goodness, your post seriously just sent chills down my spine, and I am sitting here with tears in my eyes simply thinking about it.

Thank you so much for the reminder about choking hazards. I, too, have gotten lax about DS eating grapes and hot dogs, but now I wonder if I should start cutting them up for him again, or at the very least, sit there and watch him eat instead of puttering around the kitchen like I sometimes do when he's eating "choking hazard foods." I think there's another mom on here who had a friend's child die a couple years ago from choking on a hot dog, and I never forgot the story. I still think about it every time I feed DS a hot dog. I suspect the same will happen every time I give DS grapes now.

And, thank you also for the reminder about knowing CPR. DH has been bugging me to brush up on it, and while I dismissed him before, I think now is a good time for a little refresher.

I'm so glad everything turned out OK for you and your DS.