A mother has shared a shocking photo on social media, showing a small round item lodged in a child’s throat.
Although the image was shared on Facebook a year ago by Brisbane-based blogger Angela Henderson of Finlee and Me, it serves as a timely warning to parents that choking is always a danger.
The X-ray picture showed an item – identified as a grape – stuck in the airway of a five-year-old boy.
Mum-of-two and parenting blogger Angela Henderson shared the X-ray showing a grape lodged in the airway of a five-year-old child
The image has resurfaced again recently following the tragic death of three-year-old Tasmanian boy, Alby Davis.
The toddler died March 2 after a small rubber ball became stuck in his windpipe.
Ms Henderson, a clinician and mother-of-two, Finlee, eight, and Chloe, five, originally posted the photo as warning to parents that kids could choke on anything – including fruit that wasn’t properly cut up.
‘Do you know what this X-ray is of? A grape! A grape that was lodged in the top of a 5-year-old’s airway today,’ Ms Henderson’s post read.
Ms Henderson (pictured with her daughter is warning to parents is to take time to cut up all foods, especially those like grapes which can be potential choking hazards
‘This sweet soul had to be operated on, under general anaesthetic to remove the grape. He is VERY lucky that part of his airway was open or else this could have ended badly.
‘Please be mindful that not all kids chew their food, are in a rush at school to get in the playground etc,’ she continued.
‘Please be careful. And when in doubt just cut the damn grapes, baby tomatoes.’
‘Please be mindful that not all kids chew their food, are in a rush at school to get in the playground etc,’ Ms Henderson said (stock image)
Grapes are the third most common cause of death among children who die in food-related choking incidents.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Ms Henderson said as a parenting blogger she felt it was her responsibility to share a message that parents always need to be vigilant to the dangers of choking.
‘Because choking on grapes is really high in kids aged under seven, foods like these need to be cut up properly.
She said at no point should parents feel pressure to do things a certain way, ‘because that’s what everyone else tells them to do’.
As well as grapes, Ms Henderson said parents should cut up other foods like cherry tomatoes as these could also pose a choking threat (stock image)
‘Parents need to hold their ground and do what’s right for their family.’
The post has been viewed more than 27,000 times, and parents everywhere have shared their own harrowing tales recalling similarly frightening incidents.
One commenter wrote: ‘I’ve gone on and on about the dangers of grapes for years and there are still people who care for my children while I am at work who won’t listen to me and cut them.’
‘I have had a bad experience with a grape with my grandaughter i always cut them in half now…’ another shared.
While a third added: ‘My greatest fear has always been one of my grandchildren choking, you must cut up grapes for children, I am paranoid about this.’