Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Pediatricians call for a choke-proof hot dog
Topic Started: Feb 22 2010, 01:47 PM (730 Views)
zuncompany
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-22-1Achoke22_ST_N.htm
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
U Tarzan Me Jane
Member Avatar
Rebbetzin
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
It might be a good idea to legislate smarter parents. This way they will know to cut the hot dogs in half....
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
zuncompany
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
haha!!!!!!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
chavamom
Member Avatar
Bala Buste
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
A lot of kids that choke on hotdogs are older than the recommended age for cutting them in 1/2. One of my sons seriously choked (the "no sound, moving no air" kind of choking) on a hotdog when he was about 10 years old. He managed to pull it out of his own throat just as I was about to do a Heimlich on him . He was just being a kid, jumped up from the table while eating and it got lodged in his throat. I for one wouldn't mind a redesign.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Marion
Member Avatar
aishes chayil
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Or people could just cut them out of their diets. They are, after all, not the healthiest food choice for reasons OTHER than the choking aspect!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
chavamom
Member Avatar
Bala Buste
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Moderation in all things Marion ;)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

Chava, I agree with you. Sophia had this happen last week (and she is 6 1/2 years old). B'chasdei Hashem she managed to cough it out but it was a near thing. From now on all hotdogs in the house will be split in half the long way, even when they go on rolls for big kids and/or adults.

When we lived in NY our across-the-street neighbor's little daughter (2 years old at the time) choked to death on a grape. It was horrific. I have since always cut grapes, even though my kids are 'older' now. (though I rarely buy them anymore because they always look shvach at the market).

Lots of foods require diligence on the part of parents, but in things like hot dogs which are man-made (as opposed to grapes, olives, nuts, etc.) you gotta wonder why not redesign them? I mean, what's the big deal?

Quote Post Goto Top
 
hallie_ari_mom
Member Avatar
Rebbetzin
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
We don't really eat hotdogs so I could go either way with this one. I kind of agree with Marion. I can't even find hotdogs that are kosher without nitraites. As best we can, we buy food without preservatives. I'm fully convinced they cause cancer and see no reason for them. But that's a separate issue.

Parents can just butterfly the hotdog. Butterfly the grapes too... just slice them in half.

BTW.. I work as a lunch coordinator and I had a mom argue with me about celery. I slice a stalk in half.. quarters.. anything to get them thin. The mom said that they are a choking hazzard. But she gives the kid gum. I told her that I"ll find a way to get healthy things into her kid, one way or another. She'd rather give up all veggies than figure out a way to get them in her kid! I also do Israeli salad instead of cherry tomatoes.. just to get stuff into them.

Veggies are more than necessary... hotdogs not so much. But parents who insist on giving them need to do the 10 or 20 bite rule for them. (depending on age). A hot dog needs to be eaten in no less than 10 bites. Not two big bites.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
realeez
Member Avatar
Brain Freeze
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Nickarolaberry
Feb 23 2010, 07:42 AM
When we lived in NY our across-the-street neighbor's little daughter (2 years old at the time) choked to death on a grape. It was horrific. I have since always cut grapes, even though my kids are 'older' now. (though I rarely buy them anymore because they always look shvach at the market).
Yeah, in my city there was a child who also choked on a grape and was in a coma for years but I am not sure if he passed away on his own or what happened so we are all paranoid. While I do cut the kids' grapes (I just stopped for my 6 year old) I taught them young to take a lot of little bites since I was worried what would happen if they had grapes out of the house.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
chavamom
Member Avatar
Bala Buste
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Now I'm going to be paranoid about grapes....
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
jellybean
aishes chayil
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
barbie - here the kosher butcher makes his own hotdogs, deli, etc without nitrates. they taste really good and now dh who is very picky about his food won't eat other brands of deli since it tastes too processed and plastic like.
every food has the potential to be a choking hazard, and kids have to be taught how to eat properly. i recently heard of a middle school kid who choked on a hotdog and his friend gave him the heimlich to get it out. pretty scary.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Chutzpah
Member Avatar
princess
[ *  *  * ]
We can't protect everyone from everything. If we start thinking that way everyone would be in a constant state of near-paralysis for fear of even getting up off the couch.

Life is dangerous - one can die.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
rikal
Member Avatar
Rebbetzin
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I agree with chutzpah. That said, here they made little shnitzels and stuff for kids in different shapes. The important thing is to teach your child to chew properly and to sit while eating (standing and eating is mentioned as assur due to danger in the Shulchan Aruch). I know all too well the difficulty in getting a riled up teenager to sit though. Here in the ganim they teach the kids to stay in there place while eating, getting up only for the toilet and keeping calm. Every kid who has gone to gan knows off by heart "Ein msichin bsha'at haseuda". One does not talk and eat at the same time. I do not like to put kids under say 4 at the table and leave the room.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
hallie_ari_mom
Member Avatar
Rebbetzin
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Jellybean, I wish. My kosher butcher does not make his own hotdogs. But, I really don't think it's necessary anyway.... I prefer homemade burgers. I know what I put in there.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JRKmommy
Member Avatar
Bala Buste
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Realeez - my sister worked with that child during one of her placements at Bloorview. It was enough to make her paranoid about grapes, and I cut them up until my kids were 5.

I doubt they'll get the redesign of the hotdogs, but even the publicity it generates is a good thing. Sure, many parents are aware of choking hazards - but I'm not convinced that ALL of them are, and you have well-meaning relatives or babysitters who can be a little clueless about the dangers.

I'm wondering if they'll focus on balloons next - they are also a huge choking hazard.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Free Forums. Reliable service with over 8 years of experience.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · In the Kitchen · Next Topic »
Add Reply