As a toddler starts to eat various foods, the risk for choking is drastically increased. Remember that choking is the usual cause of injury and death among children especially those younger than age 3 years old. Most choking incidents involve food. There are certain foods that pose the highest risk for children younger than age 4.
Foods that are potential choking hazards
Oval and round-shaped foods
Foods with oval or rounded shapes carry the highest risk for choking among toddlers. Once a toddler ingests one of these without chewing whether deliberately or by accident particularly when laughing, it can be dangerous since it can lodge into the tiny trachea.
Rounded and oval shaped foods include the following:
- Raisins
- Raw carrots
- Whole grapes
- Nuts
- Cherries with pits
- Small ice cubes
- Hard candies
- Whole olives
It is recommended to wait until 4 years old before serving a child with any of these foods.
Hard and crispy foods
Do not provide young children with foods that are categorized as hard or crispy such as:
- Pretzels
Remember that choking is the usual cause of injury and death among children especially those younger than age 3 years old. - Chips
- Popcorn
Remember that foods that have a crispy or hard texture might be hard for a toddler to chew properly that can result to choking.
Firm foods
Some foods of any shape can be dangerous to toddlers such as those that are tube-shaped such as sausages and hot dogs, hard foods such as cheese, chunks of meat, raw apples and pears as well as foods with bones such as fish that was not properly filleted. Take note that hot dogs that are sliced into disc shapes are dangerous for toddlers due to their rounded shape and slippery texture.
Hard to chew
Chewy foods are also a risk among toddlers. The child might attempt to chew on dried fruit, peanut butter, chewy candy, chewing gum, dense breads and chewy meat but fail since these foods require further chewing. If the child swallows a piece of food that was not properly chewed, choking is likely to occur.
Prevention
All foods with high-risk for choking must be properly labelled. Regardless of what a toddler is eating, the risk can be reduced by making sure that he/she is seated quietly and not laughing or playing to avoid accidental swallowing or inhaling pieces of food.
Quick Note / Disclaimer
The material posted on this page on choking in toddlers is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to recognize and manage choking, register for a first aid and CPR course with Saskatoon First Aid.