would you give a 2 1/2 yr old carrot sticks?

Hashemlovesme

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:35 am

my dd just choked & had to be taken to the ER. she has eaten them before, but she saw something she wanted & started crying for it. I really don't want to hear all the "you should know no to...."s. Should carrot sticks & popcorn be on the same "no no" list?

Shopmiami49

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:38 am

They are very hard for little people to chew properly. I have given my 2.5 yr old carrot matchsticks aka shredded carrots (like in coleslaw), but even that I sometimes get nervous about...

Tamiri

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:40 am

Carrots, unless finely shredded, apples with the peel and also pretzels should be limited. I've seen children choke on each. One, who choked on a apple peel, had to be taken to the ER. Another, died from choking on a pretzel (I didn't know the child personally).

imaima

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:43 am

Tamiri wrote:

Are you serious?? I have stopped peeling apples long before my child turned 2... And pretzels.. They are our baby food. My ped said that kids after 1 yo can eat everything. Confused

Tamiri

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:46 am

I know. But after what I saw with my own eyes (apple peel) and heard from the uncle of the dead boy, I was more cautious. I'm not a hysterical mother by any degree but there are some things I took more care with and those were what I mentioned (besides the obvious hotdogs, popcorn, nuts etc.).

Fox

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:53 am

Not only am I not hysterical, I'm pretty laissez-faire. But having cared for a child with a trach for three years (not because of choking), I am crazy-adamant on this topic.

The #1 reason for emergency pediatric tracheotomies is choking, and the top culprits are:
1. Grapes
2. Hot Dogs
3. Diced Veggies and Fruits
4. Hard candies.

I'm sure this list varies a bit from year to year, but the bottom line is absolutely no! Our ENT surgeon said not to give grapes and hot dogs until age 6, and we were very careful about that.

gumdrop

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 11:59 am

My ped would include nuts and popcorn too. I just went for a well visit with my two yr old and he reminded me of these foods she should avoid. But I'll be honest my kids have good chewing habits and I'll only give it to them when they are near me and I can keep an eye on them.

I remember one of my kids when she ate anything a little hard to chew she would keep her fingers in her mouth holding onto the food while she chewed. It definately made me more comfy. You gotta know your kids.

imaima

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:04 pm

Fox wrote:

Oh.. I just started giving cashews to my 2 yo and he loves them! I was so happy that he eats something healthy - he is very picky otherwise. Will keep an eye on him now..

3mitzvos

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:07 pm

whoa... I give my dd apples w/the peel and nuts and hot dogs... thanks for posting this -- I'm gonna be much more careful about what she eats now!

MrsMortgage

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:25 pm

I do give him apple slices, baby carrots, and halved nuts and feel guilty about it, but he's always sitting down when he eats them, and of course never in a carseat where he is behind me. Just one of those things I do even though I know it's wrong. I just love that he loves healthy snacks!

shnitzel

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:36 pm

Do you think popcorn is ok broken up? I do worry about choking but I have been giving it to DD in teeny tiny pieces. Carrots only thinly shredded, never ever grapes unless they are cut up. We also cut blueberries an chickpeas. But if you don't dice fruit how can your kid eat them if you can't give it to them whole?

rovacat

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:49 pm

wow. I've been giving my 2.5 year old carrot sticks for a long time. I didn't realize they were so dangerous! I'm very careful with popcorn, grapes, hotdogs and nuts. he refuses to eat apples with peels, so I peel them. but other than that, he eats everything.
also, every kid is different, and develops at different rates.

Blue jay

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:52 pm

Boil those carrot sticks!, Thats what I do... though my kids dont like carrots. Im sorry that your little one choked, I would also be very careful about popcorn too.

MrsDash

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 12:54 pm

QueenBee3 wrote:

Boil those carrot sticks!, Thats what I do... though my kids dont like carrots. Im sorry that your little one choked, I would also be very careful about popcorn too.

Ditto! My daughter is almost 4, and I boil the carrots for her, and she loves them!

MrsDash

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 1:17 pm

while they are boiling, stick a fork in one of them, or take one out and test it. The fork will easily go through the carrot. Then bon appetit Smile

Miri1

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 2:58 pm

Fox wrote:

Not only am I not hysterical, I'm pretty laissez-faire. But having cared for a child with a trach for three years (not because of choking), I am crazy-adamant on this topic.

The #1 reason for emergency pediatric tracheotomies is choking, and the top culprits are:
1. Grapes2. Hot Dogs
3. Diced Veggies and Fruits
4. Hard candies.

I'm sure this list varies a bit from year to year, but the bottom line is absolutely no! Our ENT surgeon said not to give grapes and hot dogs until age 6, and we were very careful about that.

Even halved?

Miri1

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 3:30 pm

Tamiri wrote:

I remember reading about pretzels in the paper - a young child in Israel choked on them. I think it has something to do with the fact that they can swell up alot if they ch'v get stuck.