I have written a previous Blog about what can cause little chidlren to choke but a recent article in the American Academy of Pediatrics newsletter added some more information. According to the article, the ten more common objects that could cause a little child to choke are: hot dogs, hard candy, nuts, grapes, carrots, apples, popcorn, peanut butter and even biscuits. I'm puzzled about how biscuits could cause choking unless they were rock hard. This survey came from forty-eight children's hospitals from around the world.
The other non-food items listed are: "small toys, pen caps, small balls or foam balls, marbles, toy jewelry, magnets, coins, and disk batteries." The one thing that I found missing from the list was toys that had parts which could be pulled off and swallowed. The other item not listed was pacifiers that can be pulled apart. Balloons can also be inhaled and cause choking. So parents and caretakers have to be very vigilant about what is around that chidlren can put in their mouths. Little children have very small airways that can be easily obstructed. All parents and caretakers need to know CPR and what to do if a child starts choking. I always shudder when I see a small child in a grocery store or other place munching on Cheerios, life-savers or similar foods. It just takes a single peanut or small cube of cheese to mean the difference between life and death unless a caretaker is vigilant.
I have written a previous Blog about what can cause little chidlren to choke but a recent article in the American Academy of Pediatrics newsletter added some more information. According to the article, the ten more common objects that could cause a little child to choke are: hot dogs, hard candy, nuts, grapes, carrots, apples, popcorn, peanut butter and even biscuits. I'm puzzled about how biscuits could cause choking unless they were rock hard. This survey came from forty-eight children's hospitals from around the world.
The other non-food items listed are: "small toys, pen caps, small balls or foam balls, marbles, toy jewelry, magnets, coins, and disk batteries." The one thing that I found missing from the list was toys that had parts which could be pulled off and swallowed. The other item not listed was pacifiers that can be pulled apart. Balloons can also be inhaled and cause choking. So parents and caretakers have to be very vigilant about what is around that chidlren can put in their mouths. Little children have very small airways that can be easily obstructed. All parents and caretakers need to know CPR and what to do if a child starts choking. I always shudder when I see a small child in a grocery store or other place munching on Cheerios, life-savers or similar foods. It just takes a single peanut or small cube of cheese to mean the difference between life and death unless a caretaker is vigilant.