Early childhood educator Amanda Campbell is alerting parents and caregivers about the choking hazard certain foods pose after saving a five-year-old child who choked on a grape late last month.
The Squamish educator who works at Paragon Kids Inc., a licensed child-care centre in Squamish's Brackendale community, was on shift when the child started to choke on a whole grape that was in her snack sent from home.
Initially, Campbell's co-worker started back blows to dislodge the grape, but it didn't budge.
"A lot of people think that you don't have to cut grapes at this age," Campbell said, noting at this point she called 911.
Her coworker then asked for Campbell to take over with the child.
Campbell did the Heimlich manoeuvre — pushing inward and upward under the rib cage — on the child first, but that, too, didn't work.
She then did more back blows.
Still, the grape wasn't coming out.
She then tried a LifeVac device, which is an airway clearance device they have at the child-care centre.
She tried it two or three times, to no avail.
"At this point, the child was purple, barely breathing," Campbell recalled, taking a deep breath at the memory of it.
She then did the Heimlich again, and then some more strong back blows.
Finally, the grape flew out.
The paramedics arrived, assessed the child and took them to the hospital as a precaution.
The five-year-old is fine, but it was very traumatizing for all involved, Campbell said.
Asked about staying so calm throughout the frightening event, Campbell said her training and adrenaline kicked in — until the child was safe.
"I do just do what I need to do in the moment," she said. "After ... the tears came."
Campbell, who is originally from Scotland, said this was the most serious choking incident she has intervened in, but it was not the only one.
Previously, she has gone to the aid of a youngster who choked on a piece of granola bar; another time, it was a huge chunk of broccoli; yet another time, it was a child choking on nut spread.
"The reason why I wanted to [speak out publicly] is because I think there's a lot of people who are unaware of choking hazards," she said.
"Hot dogs, popcorn, grapes, olives, tomatoes, even marshmallows ... they should really be cut in half lengthways."
Because kids' windpipes are still small, like the size of a straw, some professionals advise cutting up foods until the child is six or even eight years old, Campbell said, noting that she cuts up items for herself as an adult.
No fixed cut-off age for cutting up children's grapes
According to BC Children's Hospital, "choking deaths in children are mainly caused by foods and small objects like gel candies, hot dogs, grapes, balloons, disc batteries and handfuls of nuts."
About grapes specifically, the Child Accident Prevention Trust, a registered charity in England and Wales, notes that grapes are the third most common cause of death in food-related incidents.
"It's best to cut up grapes for children up to five, as they have small airways that can easily be blocked by a grape, but primary school children may still have small airways, though they're better at chewing and swallowing. That's why there's no fixed cut-off age for cutting up children's grapes," the site reads.
Campbell added that in Scotland children start learning first aid at about eight years old.
This is something else she would also like to lobby for in Canada.
But for now, she is hoping to spread awareness about making sure food for littles is cut up, and grateful things worked out in the end for the child she helped.
"Everything is good. The child is OK, thankfully," she said.
~The Squamish Chief reached out to the child's parent, but were told, through Campbell, that although they supported the story being told, the event was too fresh and traumatizing for them to comment for this story.
