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Choking Hazards

Safety Tips: Choking Hazards

What is a choking hazard?

A choking hazard is any object that could completely block a child’s airway, making it difficult or impossible to breathe.

What different foods are choking hazards for children?

Lack of awareness of choking hazards put children at risk. Many children do not chew their food well and will try to swallow it whole. Foods that are round and hard are the most dangerous. The following list provide a reference of the foods with choking hazards for children who are 4 years of age or younger.

  • Hot dogs

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Chunks of meat or cheese

  • Whole grapes

  • Hard and sticky candy

  • Popcorn

  • Chunks of peanut butter

  • Raw vegetables

  • Raisins

  • Chewing gum

  • Marshmallows

Objects that can cause possible choking hazards:

Infants and young children generally explore their world by putting things in their mouth. To ensure a safe environment for your child, you need to be aware and take special care with the following objects. These objects can easily be stuck in a child’s airway.

  • Latex balloons

  • Coins

  • Marbles

  • Toys with small parts

  • Pen or marker caps

  • Small balls

  • Button batteries

  • Medicine syringes

  • Toys that can be compressed to fit into a child’s mouth entirely

  • Hair barrettes and bead

Signs of choking:

A child may be choking and need help right away if he or she:

  • is unable to breathe

  • is gasping or wheezing

  • can’t talk, cry, or make noise

  • turns blue

  • grabs at his or her throat or wave arms

  • appears panicked

  • becomes limp or unconscious

In those unfortunate circumstances, call emergency services immediately, if you are trained to do abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver), do it right away. However, if not done correctly, this maneuver could hurt your child. Do not reach into the mouth to grab the object as it could push the object farther down the airway and make the situation worse.

Tips to prevent choking in young children:

Pay attention: Supervise young children whenever they are eating. (Children usually cannot make any noise to alert you that they’re choking.) Do not let you child eat in a car while driving or in the stroller while you are pushing it.

Keep children seated: Make sure your child stays seated while eating. Do not let him/her eat while lying down, playing, walking or running. Make sure your child doesn’t talk or laugh with a full mouth when eating.

Encourage slow eating: Provide a drink for your child during mealtime e.g. water. Encourage them to take sips in between bites.

Cut finger foods into small pieces: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that food should be cut into pieces no larger than ½ inch, especially dried fruits and round hard food such as grapes, cherries and tomatoes. Hot dogs and sausages should be cut lengthwise before chopping.

Cook vegetables: soft-cook vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and green beans before cutting into small pieces.

Choose snacks wisely: Do not give popcorn, gum, marshmallows, nuts, seeds, hard or sticky candy until they are at least 4 years old.

Avoid small objects: Don’t let young children play with buttons, coins, safety pins, magnets, batteries, balloons, small rocks or anything with parts smaller than 1 ¼ inches around or 2 ¼ inches long.

Don’t use teething medication: Teething medication can numb the throat and interfere with swallowing.

Age-appropriate toys: Always follow the manufacturer’s age recommendations as some toys have small parts that can cause choking. Any objects smaller than the size of a golf ball has the potential to enter the mouth and block the airway.

Clean floors: Pick up anything from the floor that might be dangerous to swallow e.g. deflated balloons, pen caps, coins, beads, batteries. Keep toys with small parts out of reach.

First-aid training: Learn how to do abdominal thrusts and CPR in basic first-aid courses.

Be prepared if your child chokes:

The best action to take is to be aware of all dangers and prevent them. In case of an emergency, please call 999, with an airway obstruction there is no time to waste, within 4 minutes or less brain damage or even death can occur. You can also take a CPR class to better prepare yourself for if ever your child or someone else needs help. You can visit www.nationwidechildrens.org/edu for more information. You can contact your local Red Cross, YMCA or check with hospitals and health departments for CPR and first-aid courses.


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