'Choking in silence': Mum's warning on feeding watermelon to children

So should we stop offering it to our little ones? A paediatric nurse has weighed in on the fruit being a choking hazard. 

When it comes to offering fruit to young children, parents are told time and time again to cut their grapes in half to avoid choking. But according to one mum, there is another fruit that can also be a huge choking hard for little ones. 

Joannie Bert, mum and founder of a choking prevention program in the US, has taken to social media to issue an urgent warning to parents about offering cubed watermelon pieces to young children. 

Her warning comes after a friend's horrifying experience with her toddler. 

“A few years ago, a close friend of mine gave her three-year-old daughter (some) watermelon,” the mum shares. “It was a beautiful day. Hubby was working in the yard. Friend was cutting up the watermelon on the counter in the kitchen and daughter was seated at the kitchen table.”

And that's when things took a nasty turn. 

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Watermelon cubes can be a choking risk, but that doesn't mean you should stop offering it. Image: iStock

"Choking in silence"

The friend's daughter was reportedly munching on a chunk of watermelon when things became unusually still. The young girl was "choking in silence"  and the mum's "worst fear was coming true."

Joannie explains that the mum felt helpless as her child struggled to breathe with the piece of watermelon lodged in her airways. She rushed her child outside where her husband immediately began back blows. 

Thankfully, the parents' quick thinking saved the child. 

“Their baby cried and that family breathed in together, a tremendous sigh of relief. Baby girl was absolutely fine,” she explains. 

But the story served as an urgent reminder for parents to not cut up pieces of fruit too big when offering it to a young child. 

“You should never serve chunks of watermelon,” she urges in the video. 

“Due to the shape, size and slipperiness, (chunks) can easily slide down the esophagus, become lodged, and push up against the trachea and prevent air(flow).”

Another idea she shared was to offer it in wedges, with skin still on. 

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Should we stop offering watermelon? A paediatric nurse weighs in

As a registered paediatric nurse who has spent many years in the ER, Sarah Hunstead, Founding Director of CPR Kidshas heard and seen many terrifying choking stories. And while this particular case does sound like a horrifying experience, it shouldn't scare parents away from offering watermelon to children. 

"It feels a bit alarmist to be honest, kids can choke on anything," Sarah tells Kidspot. "We don’t want people to stop giving watermelon to little ones -  it's a great food, especially for hydration in hot weather -  and just about every kid loves it!"

Sarah says the important thing to remember here, as with any food offered to a child, is to make sure you're on the lookout. 

"Supervise your little ones when they are eating, get them to sit down to eat, and cut the food into age-appropriate sizes," she recommends. "For example, a thin, long rectangular piece or small bite-size pieces of watermelon for babies, or for toddlers a thin slice (you can leave the rind on). Avoid the larger cube-shaped pieces, or if that’s what you’ve been served, just bite/break off smaller bits for them.

"Other fruits that are spherical such as grapes, large blueberries, cherry tomatoes etc should always be cut into quarters."

Children love munching on fresh watermelon on a hot day. Image: iStock

Originally published as 'Choking in silence': Mum's warning on feeding watermelon to children