Foods that are small, round, hard, and don't easily dissolve in a child's mouth all tend to be more likely causes of choking. Foods such as hot dogs, nuts, hard candies, whole grapes, raw carrots, apples, popcorn and tough meat should not be fed to toddlers and young children. Many of these items are just the right size to block a small child's airway if inhaled.
In some cases, cooking foods until they're soft can serve as a solution, such as with raw carrots. Peeling and slicing apples, and cutting softer foods into smaller pieces (such as grapes and hot dogs) can make them much safer.
You should take into account both your child's age and how "skilled" your child is at chewing and swallowing foods in deciding what to offer. While I find that parents generally are cautious about what foods they offer in the first year or two after starting solid foods, you should remember that foods can pose a choking risk to older toddlers and children as well-often times because they are too busy or easily distracted to pay attention to eating carefully.
You should establish early on the rule that your child must be sitting down to eat. Running, jumping, screaming or laughing while eating can cause your child to unintentionally inhale food and choke. This rule will also help you later have "calm" meals!— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
