It may surprise some of you to know that cutting up fruits and vegetables shouldn’t stop at two to three years of age. Surely, some kids will be more proficient in the chomping department than others. Infants and toddlers are especially more at risk for choking simply due to the fact that they have not mastered the art of chewing, do not have all their teeth yet and are busybodies in short.
While many of us get confused between a choke and a gag, it is essential to know the difference between them.
Gagging is a natural defence to choking. It sounds like coughing and is a part of learning how to manage eating solids. Choking, on the other hand, happens when food or an object blocks the windpipe leading to high or silent pitched sounds and an infant or toddler grabbing the neck or stomach in pain.
The most common choking hazards for toddlers are
- Small toys
- Broken objects littered in house
- Tiny objects that might fit in the mouth like a coin, bottle cap, button, balloon and batteries
- Food that is round-shaped such as cherries, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, blackberries and grapes etc
These can easily block a child’s airway if swallowed whole, there is still risk involved if you slice them around the Equator. So, slicing them down in smaller pieces is advised to avoid choking completely.
Adding on, firm fruits and veggies are also at higher risk of getting choked like apples, pears, bananas, melons etc can be hazardous if gulped in large chunks. You might just think a thinly sliced carrot coin is fun on your toddler’s plate s finger food. But it can still get lodged in the throat and block breathing. Apart from this, hard candies, whole nuts such as peanuts, almonds, cashews all have the potential to get stuck in the airway.
Popcorn may seem to be like a fun snack for children, but the shape and difficulty to chew can cause a popped kernel to get stuck in the throat. It is advisable to skip popcorn as much as possible until around five years of age or a child is able to recognise the importance of chewing eventually. Also, the last one on the list is marshmallows, skip it in young children and teach the older ones to bite them instead of trying to eat them whole.
What you should do if your child starts choking :
- Staying calm and composed in an ongoing choking episode.
- Encouraging your little one to swallow and chew.
- Hold out your hand in front of the baby’s mouth for them to spit out.
What you shouldn’t do :
- Freak out or lose control of oneself. This might scare your kid too.
- Sticking your finger inside to remove food or object — this can lodge food further back.
- Pat their back while they are sitting — this can move food further down.
The fears of choking are understandable. But we can all take steps to minimise the risks and make them eat risky foods too. Sit down with your children and model how to chew food, make sure your kid isn’t falling asleep while eating.
A few words of unsolicited advice from a mom :
- Offer age-appropriate foods or slice them into very small pieces.
- Keep an eye while they eat. Supervision is required during snack/mealtime.
- Stay calm as hard as it may be. Try your best not to be stressed or panicking.
- Try avoiding gasps since little ones pick up on our vibes.
- Encouraging to sit and eat, thorough chewing and sips of fluids in between bites.
I hope this helps you if you are faced with such a situation. If you have any other advice please do share it in the comments below. We are all about building a community to help other mothers.
Janani S Koushik
Parul Gupta
Rushita Sheth
KSP Team
Rati Ramadas Girish
