Food is the number one cause of choking hazard among young children, according to Consumer Reports magazine. Kids under five have smaller throats and mouths, undeveloped teeth and lack experienced in dealing with how to remove food from the airway. Small candies or gum should never been given to children under five, but there are foods that also create choking hazards.
Steamed, cooked and pureed carrots are healthy food for young children, but raw carrots risk a visit to the emergency room due to choking hazards. Baby carrots create frequent problems due to difficulty in handling the small carrots. Children near the age of five may simply attempt to chew the entire carrot and create a choking hazard.
Small, hard and difficult to chew with baby teeth, peanuts are a prime cause of emergency room choking incidents. Peanuts are a healthy source of protein for kids who aren't allergic, but should not be given to kids under ten years old.
Celery is a healthy snack for children over ten years old who have developed strong chewing skills and swallowing strength, but for children under five, the stringy consistency creates a sensation that something is stuck in the throat.
Most kids love hot dogs, but hold off serving this food until after ten years old. The dog skin holds the food in place and makes a solid nugget that sticks in the throat. Young children are unable to fully chew food due to small baby teeth and hot dogs chunks become lodged in the throat. Cutting the dog into small pieces only makes the situation worse because the child may swallow the piece without chewing.
While popcorn is a healthy snack for children over ten, it is a choking danger for children under that age. Wait to serve this healthy treat until kids are older.
Very helpful
Very good informative list..perfect for the elderly also..
Having never had a child under 5 but do have a mother over 90, this list is appropriate for seniors too! Nicely done, Izzy.
select one here...