Kelly Makiha: Why we should listen to experts about anti-choking food for children

Under the new guidelines rice crackers are excluded as a high-risk food and items such as grapes should be halved or quartered to prevent choking. Photo / File

OPINION

We were all busy in the kitchen and lounge doing our own thing cleaning up after dinner and none of us noticed our 10-year-old daughter was choking.

She had come in late from a sports training, heated up some roast lamb left over on a plate and was eating it in front of the fireplace.

Thankfully hubby eventually spotted her in great difficulty out the corner of his eye and swung into action, successfully dislodging it.

Our daughter says it was the most frightening 20 seconds of her life. This wasn't a serious case of choking but it was enough to make us realise it can happen so easily.

Our daughter obviously isn't a baby who needs her food mashed, but even eating unsupervised while not seated properly can be dangerous for anyone.

From this week early childhood centres are having to stick to strict new laws when it comes to feeding children.

Some parents and centres are up in arms, claiming people are having to be "food police" and saying the new rules have gone too far.

I've heard people say children need to learn how to eat properly at some stage and it's a shame they were being wrapped in cotton wool.

While all of this might seem true on the face of it, the argument really is simple. Experts have said certain foods are dangerous for certain age groups.

If you think your child is exempt from that and can handle those foods, that's your choice as a parent. It's not something you should put on early childhood staff to manage.

I've seen first-time parents of young children feeding their children in public completely oblivious as to what is safe. It sends shivers down my spine when I saw them grabbing large grapes or cheerios and trying to negotiate them.

It takes all your strength not to interfere and start spouting off like a know-it-all. Are they aware and are they confident in their children's abilities or are they just ignorant?

Early childhood centre staff no longer have to hover and hope. They can serve what is safe, supervise and confidently know they are doing what's best for the children.