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 Choking
Prevention
What
can I do to keep my child from choking?
Do not feed
children younger than 4 years round, firm food unless it is chopped completely.
Round, firm foods are common choking dangers. When infants and young children
do not grind or chew their food well, they may try to swallow it whole. The
following foods can be choking hazards:
-
Hot dogs
-
Nuts
and seeds
-
Chunks
of meat or cheese
-
Whole
grapes
-
Hard,
gooey, or sticky candy
-
Popcorn
-
Chunks
of peanut butter
-
Raw vegetables
-
Fruit
chunks, such as apple chunks
-
Chewing
gum
Dangerous household
items
Keep the following household
items away from infants and children:
What you can do to
prevent choking
-
Learn
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) (basic life support).
-
Be aware
that balloons pose a choking risk to children up to 8 years of age.
-
Keep
the above foods from children until 4 years of age.
-
Insist
that children eat at the table, or at least while sitting down. They should
never run, walk, play, or lie down with food in their mouths.
-
Cut food
for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch,
and teach them to chew their food well.
-
Supervise
mealtime for infants and young children.
-
Be aware
of older children's actions. Many choking incidents occur when older brothers
or sisters give dangerous foods, toys, or small objects to a younger child.
-
Avoid
toys with small parts, and keep other small household items out of the reach
of infants and young children.
-
Follow
the age recommendations on toy packages. Age guidelines reflect the safety
of a toy based on any possible choking hazard as well as the child's physical
and mental abilities at various ages.
-
Check
under furniture and between cushions for small items that children could
find and put in their mouths.
-
Do not
let infants and young children play with coins.
Published online: 2/07
Source: Choking Prevention and First Aid for Infants and Children (Copyright
© 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 4/06)
Healthcare professionals
may order
this publication in multi-copy packs.
Parents can find more information on this topic in Caring for Your Baby and
Young Child: Birth to Age 5. To order a copy of this book visit the AAP
Bookstore.
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The information contained
in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care
and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your
pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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