Choking is the fourth leading cause of death in children under the age of 5. At least one child dies from choking every 5 days in the US and more than 10,000 children are taken to the hospital emergency room because of food-related choking injuries. Choking injuries and deaths are preventable. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, grandparent, day care worker, school personal or babysitter, keep the below tips in mind to prevent choking injuries and accidents in children.
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The most common cause of nonfatal choking hazard is food. To reduce the risk of choking, keep the following food items out of reach of children or be present when feeding these food items to children.
• Hot dogs, meat, sausages, and fish with bones
• Hard candies, jelly beans, marshmallows, lollipops, and caramels
• Raw peas, fruits, celery, carrots, cherries
• Dried fruits and all kind of nuts
• Ice cubes
• Cheese cubes
• Never ever leave your child unattended when he or she is having food. It is very important that either of the parent or a caretaker is present when the child is eating.
• Children should be made to sit upright when eating. Make them eat slowly.
• Avoid feeding children when they are walking, playing, or riding a bicycle.
• Cut food in to small pieces before feeding them to children. Remove seeds and pits.
• Boil or steam vegetables to soften their texture.
• Combination of different food size, texture, and shape can pose a threat to children. So be careful when preparing meals for small children.
• Offer liquids to children when they are eating but don’t give solids and liquids together for the reason mentioned above.
• Educate children about the correct ways of eating. Encourage them to chew their food properly and avoid talking when eating.
• Avoid giving foods that are slippery or hard or dry in texture.
• Peanut butter if given in spoonful or with soft bread can pose choking hazard. Peanut butter can stick to the roof of the child’s mouth and may form a blob. You may give a small quantity of peanut butter and give with jelly or cream cheese on whole grain breads.
• Household items and toys may also pose choking hazards. Some of the items that should not be given to children are
*. Coins
*. Marbles
*. Small balls
*. Pen caps
*. Earrings
*. Crayons
*. Erasers
*. Safety pins
*. Small stones
*. Tiny figures
*. Decorative items
To ensure child safety always read the label at the toys. Read the choking hazards mentioned at the toys. It is very important to learn to handle emergency situations. You must learn CPR, abdominal thrusts, AED, and other life-saving techniques to ensure safety of your child in times of choking and other emergencies.
The above
article is a guest post written by Tim Scott. He is an expert author and writer
who pleased the world with his topic about Pediatric First Aid & CPR . He also blogs for
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Thanks for this useful tips dont know meat can choke a child even hot dog hmmmm thanks again
ReplyDeleteAm quite new to the fact that choking is not just a cause of death in children under the age of 5 but a leading cause, wao. Thanks for sharing this knowledge, getting ready for motherhood, and a one stop shop for health tips like dis is indispensable.
ReplyDeleteMy little girl choked on candy that she was given by someone in church when she was out of sight and got all of us really scared. I think the rule of thumb is to keep them in sight and be careful with what they take.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good one for the nursing mothers
ReplyDeleteParents will surely learn a great deal of things from this post especially mothers not to leave their kids unattended to.
ReplyDelete