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Saturday was a stressful day. Not only were we getting ready for Mother’s Day, BUT our 22 month old, while eating a snack, began choking. He started coughing and then SILENCE. Terror seized his face (and ours) and, after struggling for what seemed to be 20 seconds, he dropped to the floor. Already on the phone with the 911 operator (props to those folks who are so professional and able to deal with frantic folks like myself!), we gave our son the Heimlich and he coughed up the piece of lodged food in his mouth. He began breathing again…WHEW!
That got me thinking, what are the top ten things we can do to reduce our baby’s risk of choking?
1. Never leave your child alone when they are eating!
2. Make sure your child is upright when eating.
3. Mash the food prior to feeding them.
4. Don’t allow young children to play with toys that are designed for older children.
5. Don’t force feed your child when they are crying.
6. Encourage them to eat slowly and chew well.
7. Check under couches, coffee tables, chairs and in between cushions for small items that your child could choke on.
8. Until 4 years old, avoid: hot dogs, whole grapes, hard candy, popcorn, peanut butter, tube cheese, raw carrots, raw celery, large marshmallows, taffy, dried fruits like large apricots, cherries with pits, cherry tomatoes or any foods that are round and hard.
9. Don’t let children handle coins.
10. Avoid ‘chipmunking’. Encourage your child to chew and swallow his food instead of storing the food in their cheeks.
Of course, taking these steps does not guarantee that your child will not choke. So it is also important to know what to do in an emergency situation. For more information on the prevention of choking and what to do in an emergency situation see below. Do you have any other ideas for the prevention of choking in children? Leave a comment for everyone to benefit from.
How to reduce your baby’s risk of choking
Preventing Choking Among Infants and Children
How To Prevent Your Child From Choking
What Foods Should I Avoid Giving to my Child Because of Choking?
Choking (What to do in an emergency)
Read other PBP Baby Articles.
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