Foods to watch out for, to prevent choking

Children have a natural curiosity about food, especially when it comes to eating it. Food that adults consider harmless can prove deadly to children who do not know how to handle it.

Make sure you are aware of the foods and objects that could pose a choking hazard for your child.

One of the lesser known choking hazards is white bread, which can produce excessively large pasty textures in the back of the throat, leading to breathing difficulties and possibly even choking.

Round and hard foods are dangerous for young children. Pieces of raw carrot, celery, and broccoli should be cut into small pieces for them, as they are prone to easily lodge in the back of the throat.

Food with a coarse texture, particularly dry foods that can’t be easily broken down, is extremely dangerous for young children. Crackers and rice cakes have sharp edges that can scratch and damage the inside of the throat.

Hard sweets are a hazard and can get trapped in your child’s airway. Children have difficulty digesting food like this, which is why CE Safety advises you to avoid anything of this texture.

Chewing gum presents a significant threat, the sticky texture and repeated chewing motion can cause the gum to get stuck in the back of someone’s throat. Some children may swallow the gum, causing it to block their windpipe.

Grapes may appear harmless, but they pose a significant choking hazard if they are swallowed whole. Due to the grape’s shape and size, they can completely block the airway and with the grapes slimy, flexible outer layer, they are difficult to remove every time with first aid. Experts recommend that parents cut grapes in half or quarters to make it simpler for young children to eat them with safety.

If the children’s molars still have not formed, their ability to grind food will be severely affected, so foods like nuts and seeds should be avoided.

Bones can be extremely harmful to children if they become wedged. Sadly, bones can be hidden in boneless meats, so always check thoroughly before serving any meat to a child.

Even if they have been rearranged into smaller pieces, small chunks of cheese still pose a serious choking hazard. Because of their hard texture, cheese can become wedged in the back of a child’s throat, preventing them from breathing.

Apples and their skin pose a substantial risk to children as they can easily get stuck in the back of their throats, especially because the skin is airtight. If a child is very young, it’s best to avoid seedy fruit like melons, oranges and cherries.

Even though marshmallows are soft, they can often clump together, increasing the risk of choking. They expand in the throat, making choking a serious risk. If left unsupervised for a few seconds, children can even ingest the entire substance, blocking the airway completely.

Hard and crunchy foods, like popcorn, can easily cause your child’s throat to get clogged; even toddlers with somewhat competent eating habits shouldn’t be consuming this food – Unpopped corn kernels are extremely hard and will easily block the airway. Their texture can expose the person to other food products that stick to the popcorn, creating an obstruction that can be fatal.