It should’ve been a nice family dinner at Pizza Hut. But for parents Abigail Wilson and David Jenkins from Hartlepool, England, the outing turned into a nightmare they’ll never forget.
Their two-year-old son, Jacob, died after a grape got lodged in his throat.
It’s been a year since little Jacob Jenkins was taken from this world. After he choked on a grape, the boy was rushed to a hospital in Newcastle. But doctors were unable to save him, and Jacob died five days later.
Friends and neighbors gathered around the toddler in the hospital and released yellow balloons into the sky at the moment he died. Afterward, Jacob’s mother wrote an emotional post online saying that her son had gotten his “angel wings.”
Jacob’s death was extremely tragic, but, unfortunately, is was also not unique. Grapes can be a dangerous choking hazard for small children—something not all parents are aware of. The shape and size of the fruit makes it easy for them to get lodged in children’s throats and suffocate them.
Fortunately, there is a solution. Remember to always cut grapes in half lengthwise before serving them to children.
But grapes aren’t the only food that can get stuck in children’s throats. Never give young children these foods without first cutting them up:
- Large pieces of meat
- Dried apricots
- Large pieces of sausage
- Cherry tomatoes
- Orange slices
- Carrot slices (grate them instead)
Also, never let children eat in the car or on bike rides, as sudden bumps could lodge food in their throats.
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure But do you know what to do if you child starts choking? The British Red Cross has suggestions here.
I really don’t want what happened to Jacob to happen to any other children. You may have been aware of this already, but some parents might not, so please share this with anyone you know who has a young child. You never know… it could save a life!
Rest in peace, little Jacob.
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