Choking Hazards

There are countless things a baby or small child could choke on in your house, and a baby will put anything in his mouth. That's why keeping small objects out of reach is so important.

Among the major choking hazards are coins, paper clips, buttons, beads, pen caps, little toys, and small, disc-shaped batteries. But the most common cause of choking is the one thing children are supposed to put in their mouths—food.

Watch What They Eat

Imagine eating only with your gums. That's all the equipment babies have. It takes a long time for toddlers' teeth to emerge, and the molars, so important for grinding, are the last to make an appearance. Too often, kids swallow foods whole rather than chew them up, even when they have some teeth. The foods you give them have to be soft and cut up in small pieces.

If your baby tends to stuff too much in her mouth at once, give her only a little bit of food at a time until she learns to go slow.

The top choking hazards among foods are:

• Nuts
• Hot dogs
• Grapes
• Hard candy
• Popcorn
• Raisins
• Raw carrots
• Spoonfuls of peanut butter
• Chunks of meat

The American Academy of Pediatrics says children younger than 4 years should not be given these foods or any other food that is firm and round unless it is completely chopped up. Fruits should be peeled and seeds carefully removed. Seeds can be inhaled and may lead to lung infections. Don't give kids under 5 sunflower or pumpkin seeds to eat.

Lollipops pose multiple threats. First, they are hard candy and should therefore be reserved for older children. Second, even an older child can be injured by a lollipop's rigid stick if he falls with one in his mouth. A safer alternative is the kind of pop that has a pliable loop in place of a stick.

Peanuts cause choking injuries among children more often than any other food. (Peanuts can also be life threatening for the growing number of children who are allergic to them.) Grapes and hotdogs pose serious hazards because their skins can easily cover a small child's windpipe. Don't give them to children under 4, and cut them up in small pieces for older ones.

Never let any child (or adult for that matter) eat peanut butter by the spoonful. Even adults have died from a glob of peanut butter that stuck on their windpipe. Instead, it should be spread in a thin layer on a cracker or small piece of bread that can be easily swallowed.

Pieces of crusty bread or bagels can turn gummy in the mouth and get stuck over the trachea. These should be not be given to babies.

You need to be cautious about how your child eats as well as what she eats. Keep her in her highchair during meals. Don't let her run around and play while she's eating. Discourage laughing or horse-play while her mouth is full, because she could inhale a piece of food.

Remember that kids can choke on any food. Always supervise yours when she's eating.

Watch the Balloons

Balloons are one of the leading causes of asphyxiation in children. Part of the trouble is that these toys are designed to be put in the mouth, at least when they're being inflated. It's understandable, then, that a small child might put one in his mouth, swallow or breath in, and get it caught in his windpipe.

Packages of balloons are required by law to carry a warning label saying that they are hazardous to children under age 8. The risk is twice as great for kids 3 and under.

If your child is given a balloon that's already blown up, there's a chance that it will burst, and the pieces will end up in his—or a younger sibling's—mouth. Don't leave a young child alone to play with a balloon, and pick up the pieces right away if the balloon bursts or deflates.

Mylar balloons are safer than the common latex balloons because they won't break into small pieces. If you must use latex balloons, store them out of children's reach and don't allow kids younger than 8 to inflate them.

Toys Can Choke Kids, Too

Kids can also choke on small toys such as balls, marbles, and game pieces. Give your older kids a safe storage area for their toys, and make sure they keep their belongings stowed away from younger siblings.

Always follow the recommended age on a toy label. These ages do not reflect whether a child is developmentally advanced enough to use it but whether it poses a safety hazard to younger children.

Sometimes a toy or item of baby equipment that seems safe when it's first manufactured is later found to pose a choking hazard. In those cases, the CPSC notifies consumers and the media about recalls. You can get these notices automatically by signing up on the agency's Web site at www.cpsc.org. To report products that pose a choking hazard, call CPSC's hotline at 800-638-2772.

Don't give kids under age 3 dolls or stuffed toys with eyes, noses, or ribbons that might come off. Also, check toys regularly to make sure they are still in good condition. Sometimes parts break off. Repair or discard any toys that are broken.

Wraps and Labels

Be sure to discard the packaging, including gift wrap, or ribbons—especially plastic wrap—on a new toy you give your child. Plastic labels or decals on toys and juvenile products are a choking hazard, too. Peel them off. Don't remove permanent paper warning labels, however.

Rattles and Teethers

In 1978, the U.S. government issued rules that require rattles to be large enough so that they can't lodge in a baby's throat. They also have to be sturdily made so they won't break into pieces that can be inhaled or swallowed. Sometimes these items are recalled because they pose a hazard, but not always. Don't take chances: Inspect them regularly.

Take rattles, teethers, and squeeze toys out of the crib or playpen when your baby is sleeping, and don't buy rattles or squeeze toys with ball-shaped ends.

Gulp!

If your child puts a small object in her mouth and it disappears, call your pediatrician. The item could be lodged in the esophagus or it could have gone into the digestive tract.

Most foreign bodies that are swallowed will pass through the digestive tract without doing damage, so your doctor may suggest letting nature take its course. In some cases, however, your doctor may recommend an X-ray to determine exactly where the object has gone, and the foreign body may have to be removed. Often this can be done with an endoscope that can be passed down the esophagus. Surgery is necessary only in rare cases when the object is stuck firmly or is large or sharp.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Child Safety © 2000 by Miriam Bacher Settle, Ph.D., and Susan Crites Price. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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