Summary: A new study highlights how common it is for toddlers and older kids to choke on food — 34 kids a day, on average. But experts say the majority of these cases could have been prevented. You can easily prevent choking accidents in your tot by following simple precautions.
By Sharon Mazel | Posted: July 30, 2013
Little kids aren't always the best at chewing and swallowing their food. They're often in a rush ("the faster I eat, the faster I can get back to my toys"), they're often on the go (have Cheerios, will travel), and they often are reaching for things they shouldn't be eating (hmm... those marbles look yummy). And that means, unfortunately, that they all too often choke, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the journal Pediatrics.
On average, 12,435 children under age 14 are treated annually in hospital emergency departments for a non-fatal choking involving food — the equivalent of 34 children a day. Tots under the age of four account for 62 percent of all cases, and babies under a year old account for 38 percent of all cases. The most common food culprits? Candies (hard or otherwise), fruits and veggies, hot dogs, bones, and seeds and nuts. Choking on high risk foods such as hot dogs resulted in most of the hospitalizations, according to the study. That's because they are difficult to chew, are similar in shape to the back of a child's throat, and are more likely to block a child's airway.
Researchers from the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio analyzed data on non-fatal food-related choking among US children aged 14 years or under between 2001 and 2009. And though the choking incidents in this particular study weren't fatal, many are, say the researchers. What's more, in 10 percent of this study's cases, the children had to be hospitalized, put under general anesthesia in the operating room, and undergo an invasive bronchoscopy procedure to have the food removed from the airway.
Experts say that these choking cases are almost always preventable. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that food carry the same kind of warning labels that toys do — warning of choking hazards. But since that's probably not all that likely to happen any time soon, the best way to prevent choking accidents is by being vigilant.
That means you should always cut the food you're giving to your preschooler or toddler into very small pieces, make sure your kids are always supervised when they're eating, that they're eating sitting down and not on the go, and that you keep inappropriate food (a.k.a choking hazards like nuts, hot dogs, grapes, and candies) out of reach of those curious fingers. Most of all, never let your guard down. Choking can happen in an instant — and it's silent (your little one won't be coughing if his airway is blocked). Be sure, too, that you know how to treat a choking incident by taking an infant and toddler first aid course.
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