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Berries are an excellent source of various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Berry fruits differ from one another in structure, size and other aspects. Most berries are small and soft and we often eat them without thinking or paying much attention, as a tasty snack during leisure activities. However, if you consume larger berries, such as grapes or gooseberries, you should know the risks associated with this fruit. Laura Lou knows about this herself; she mainly warns mothers of small children to avoid the terrible experience that happened to her.
Choking on grapes
Laura Lou’s four-year-old daughter – Olivia – was eating grapes that day without chewing them. Although the mother had previously heard of cases where a child choked on a grape, she comforted herself with the thought that those were always very young children, so in her opinion a four-year-old girl was out of danger. One of the grapes, however, got stuck in Olivia’s throat so that she couldn’t breathe. Luckily, Laura Lou was with her daughter at the time, noticed the problem immediately and tried to help the child. Her lips had already begun to turn blue. After several attempts the grape was dislodged from the throat by applying the Heimlich maneuver, so the little girl could breathe happily again. Both of them were then in shock for some time.
How to prevent the risk of choking on berry fruit
Not only grapes, but also other larger berries with firmer flesh and a smooth surface can be particularly dangerous for smaller children. If you are going to serve them, it is ideal to at least cut them in half, because that way they will no longer be slippery on one side and will pass more easily through the digestive tract. And always keep the child under supervision when consuming these fruits. If Olivia had been eating the grapes alone, Laura Lou’s story could have ended tragically. Even a larger child, or even an adult, can swallow a smooth berry incorrectly when eating quickly and the little ball can easily go where it shouldn’t.
