You Might Want to Know - New Choking Guidelines

American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends New Guidelines for Child Choking Hazards

Parents may soon have better guidance on what foods could be a choking hazard for their young child.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a new policy statement last week that recommended, among other things, warning labels and recalls on food that pose high choking risks.
Specifically, the group has recommended:

• Warning labels on foods that pose a high choking risk.
• A recall of food products that pose a significant choking hazard.
• The establishment of a nationwide food-related choking-incident surveillance and reporting system.
• Food manufacturers should design new food and redesign existing food to minimize choking risk.
• CPR and choking first aid should be taught to parents, teachers and child care providers.

Le Bonheur Children’s cares for an average of 23 patients each year because of choking – most ages 4 and younger. A majority of those incidents occur at home, said Susan Helms, director of Injury Prevention and Safe Kids at Le Bonheur. “Small children have small airways and so it doesn’t take much to choke them,” Helms said. “Many choking incidents involve food and parents and caregivers should avoid giving small, round foods unless you chop them into very tiny 'pea-sized bites.’”

Other common choking hazards include coins, buttons, small balls and toys and small game parts, Le Bonheur’s Helms said. If an item object can fit through a standard toilet paper tube or a store bought choke tester, then it's too tiny for small child to play with it. In addition to always supervising young children, one of the best things a parent or care giver can do is to learn CPR and first aid for airway obstruction.

“Simply put, if the airway is blocked, breathing cannot happen,” Helms said. “In about 3 hours, parents and care givers can learn effective skills that can make the difference between life and death for a choking child."

The AAP’s policy statement contains recommendations for government agencies, manufacturers, parents, teachers, child care workers and health care professionals to help prevent choking among children. It also recommends that pediatricians continue to provide guidance on safe and appropriate food and toy choices.

To read the policy statement, click here.