Nearly choking is a frightening experience that no parent or child wants to endure. While many choking episodes resolve themselves quickly, others can produce fatal results – either because a child's airway becomes completely obstructed or inappropriate first aid lodges the inhaled object more firmly in the airway.
Children under the age of three years are the highest risk group for serious injury and death due to choking. It is impossible to make a home completely child proof, but about 90% of injuries can be prevented by knowing and practicing safe feeding and supervisory habits.
Types of Foods That May Cause Choking
The following foods carry a high choking risk potential for children younger than three years of age. If one of these food items partially blocks a child's airway, symptoms can progress from severe coughing to wheezing and eventual pneumonia. A complete blockage is a medical emergency that can lead to unconsciousness, brain injury and death.
- Hot dogs
- Peanuts
- Carrots and celery
- Boned chicken
- Candy
- Meat
- Popcorn (especially the kernels)
- Fish with bones
- Sunflower seeds
- Apples
- Pits from fruits
- Dried peas and beans
On May 24, 2010, The New York Times published an article listing the 10 Biggest Choking Hazards, based on a 2008 study in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. According to a medical expert quoted in the article, foods can present a choking risk for children up to four and five years of age.
Always cut hot dogs and grapes lengthwise before serving them to children under the age of three. Bones can cause severe pain if accidentally caught in a child's throat. Carefully take out bones before serving fish or chicken to children. Do not give hard candies or gumballs of any kind to children under the age of five, and until they understand how to eat these items.
Even though a child may be able to chew and swallow well, excitement or sudden movement can lodge food items between the vocal chords and completely block passageways to the lungs. Teaching children how to eat properly is essential to reducing risk. Rocking chairs back and forth, chewing food incompletely and running and playing while eating are all habits that can increase the likelihood of a choking episode.
Non-Food Choking Hazards
Imagine the width of a child's airway being slightly narrower than the inside of a tube of toilet paper. If an object drops through the center of a toilet paper tube then there is a chance it could get stuck in a child's throat. The toilet paper tube test is a simple and inexpensive way to decide if a non-food item may pose a choking hazard.
The test is a good one to teach older children living with siblings who are three years of age and younger. Developmentally, older children are likely to be playing with toys and items that are not meant to be handled by their younger brothers and sisters.
These common household items have been associated with choking, burns and partial airway obstructions:
- Coins
- Buttons
- Batteries
- Removable toy parts and game pieces
- Balloons
- Dishwasher detergent
The chemicals in disc batteries and dishwasher detergents can cause severe internal burns if inhaled or swallowed. Common sources of disc batteries include toys and electronics. Parents should be aware of published recalls of toys and other household items because of choking risks – many of these items were originally approved for use by children younger than three years of age.
Be prepared for what to do should a choking episode occur to anyone in the family. Know the location of the nearest emergency department and the ambulance or emergency vehicle dispatch telephone number. Parents should share their knowledge with older children, other child caregivers and babysitters. Most importantly, learn first aid for choking; using the wrong first aid procedure can make a choking episode worse.
Parents tend to blame themselves when the worst happens; but it is important to remember that there is no way to make a home completely baby proof. Until the age of three, most children lack the chewing skills to handle certain food items. For older children, sitting still and chewing food thoroughly is important to reduce the risk of accidental inhalation of food.
Choking prevention is largely common sense – if an object looks like it could get stuck in an airway, chances are it can and should be removed from a baby's reach. The toilet paper tube test can help parents and older siblings to judge borderline choking hazards.
Anne Williams - Anne is a freelance writer and communications consultant based in Vancouver, Canada.
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