Some of the foods that cause choking hazards are hot dogs, carrots, apples, biscuits and cookies, breads or pastries, French fries, seeded grapes, dry fruits and nuts, peanut butter, marshmallows, hard candy, gum, popcorn,, chips  and pretzels.

Choking is a serious problem that can even be life-threatening if not immediately taken care of. Some food items like hot dogs and carrots pose a higher choking hazard to kids. Staying alert and taking immediate action is fundamental in averting this issue.

Choking is a serious concern that can be extremely harmful to human beings, especially to kids and the aged. Various studies have suggested that choking is a major cause for injury and even death in children under the age of four years. Parents across the world have to rush their child to the Emergency Room because of various choking hazards. The issue does not spare infants either, as baby choking is also a medically recognized problem that parents should be aware of.

What is choking?

Choking is a condition where a person has extreme difficulty in breathing, often due to an object or food item lodged in their throat or causing obstruction in the windpipe. Allergic reactions may also cause the walls of the windpipe to constrict, but object induced choking hazards are more common in children and young kids.

What causes choking?

It is a mistake to think that choking is something that occurs to children only. It is a common problem that can happen to us at any time during the day. But toddlers seem to have a peculiar propensity to put all kinds of objects in their mouth which increases the risk. Coins, toys are common objects which cause choking hazards in kids, as they tend to get lodged in the wind pipe.

Other than objects, common food items also cause children to choke. Particularly when the diets of kids change from a liquid to semi-solid and solid consistency, it presents a choking hazard to growing children. A list of food items which can pose a high risk to children is given as follows:

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15 Foods That Cause Choking Hazard

Breast milk, formula or milk

Even infants are prone to choking as the instinct is relatively new to them. Baby choking can occur over formula, and even while the baby is nursing from it’s mother’s breast. It is important to be vigilant so that no harm comes to the new born baby.

Hot dogs

One of the favourite food items, hot dogs have been known to bring in a lot of kids to the ER due to a sudden fit of choking that has affected them suddenly. The bread and meat are a choking hazard waiting to happen to a child excited about eating a hot dog. It is best to cut it into pieces before allowing your kid to eat a hot dog.

Bone in meat-based dishes

Meat-based dishes can often have bones in them which pose a serious threat to kids and adults alike. It is best to opt for dishes which are boneless, or to make sure that no bones remain to pose a choking hazard to people eating the dish.

Carrots and vegetables with similar consistency

Carrots and such other vegetables have a hard texture and a peculiar tendency to pose as a threat to children, often bringing about choking fits in them. Make sure to cut the carrots into fine pieces before deeming them fit to be consumed by your child. If you plan to feed them to an infant, make sure to cook the carrots to a mushy consistency to prevent baby choking threats to the child.

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Hard fruits like apples

Hard gritty fruits like apples and guavas can be risky to children. Make sure they are cut into manageable pieces so that they can add nutritional value to your kids’ diets without being a choking hazard in any way.

Biscuits and cookies

Biscuits and cookies that are dry may be chewed and moistened by saliva during mastication, but the crumbs can obstruct a child’s breathing. Have something handy to drink while serving cookies to your kid, so that the dry crumbs can be dealt with from the get-go.

Bread or pastries

Bread or pastries pose a similar choking hazard to kids of all ages. Make sure they consume these food items under vigilance, and provide something to drink that help chug the food down.

French fries

Fries may be a favourite with kids, but they also pose a serious choking hazard. Have a milkshake ready to help with minor choking fit, or make sure your kid takes small bites of the fries to prevent a mishap from occuring.

Read More: 15 Foods to Avoid in Your Baby’s Diet

Seeded grapes

In spite of its value in terms of nutritional food, seeded grapes are one of the biggest choking hazards to children today. Make sure you remove the seeds and cut the grapes into half before serving them to your children.

Dry fruits and nuts

Chewy raisins and dry nuts are another group of food items that causes a serious choking hazard. A risk factor to children and adults alike, try to be alert when you are having nuts to prevent a choking fit from occuring.

Peanut butter

Peanuts and peanut butter is something that a lot of people are allergic to. If your child has a choking fit every time he or she is consuming peanuts or a derivative of that, make sure you get them tested for potential allergic reactions.

Marshmallows

The look of a marshmallow may appeal to your child, but it’s texture must keep you aware about a possible choking hazard. Keep watch as your child gobbles down his or her favourite food to take action in case of a choking fit.

Hard candy

Hard candy can easily slip into the wind pipe and cause obstruction in the air way of your child.

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Gum

Swallowing gum is one of the most common causes of choking hazards in children. Once you have the chewy material between your teeth, make sure you don’t accidentally swallow it.

Pop corn, chips and pretzels

Favourite movie-time snacks like pop corn pose a serious threat of choking to children, potentially adding a negative spin on the experience of watching a movie.

Staying alert, looking into the immediate steps that you can take to dislodge an object or food item stuck in the person’s throat, can help deal with and prevent choking hazards from causing serious injury to children.

References:

livesience.com

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