Children are prone to various accidents that can occur anywhere and at any time. Among the most common of these accidents is choking, which occurs when a child’s airway is obstructed.
Unlike an adult’s airway, a child’s airway is smaller, which means it can easily be blocked. Figures show that an estimated 40 children are admitted to emergency rooms for choking, with one child losing their life by choking on food every five days in America.
Below, we look at various choking hazards you should be aware of and what foods you can avoid as well as how to prevent a child from choking when they eat.
Choking Hazards
Household items that increase the risk of your child choking include jewelry, coins, pen covers, magnets, and batteries as well as toys such balloons, marbles, plastic balls and garden objects such as pebbles.
You should also avoid giving your child food such as grapes, as well as raw and round vegetables, because they can easily block a child’s throat and obstruct the airway, making it hard for the child to breathe.
You should also avoid giving children grapes, peas, meat, candies, big apple slices and apple skin as well as whole seeds and nuts; these too can plug a child’s airway. Parents may powder nuts and seeds or mix them with food as an alternative.
Popcorn may also not be a safe bet because of its uneven and hard texture, which can block a child’s air passage once it gets stuck in the throat.
How do you prevent choking?
First, ensure the child sits straight while they eat, especially if they take a lot of time to finish eating. This prevents food from getting stuck in their throats.
Ensure your child chews the food properly before swallowing it. If your child is not old enough to properly chew food on their own, avoid putting big pieces of food on their plate.
If your child still uses a bottle, you should avoid giving them one while they’re asleep. Children who fall asleep with bottles may choke if the liquid goes into their lungs.
In the event that your child chokes, try to remove the object if you can see it. However, do not poke around blindly because this may lodge the object further into their throat.
You can also encourage them to cough if they’re coughing loudly or call for help if they are struggling to cough. In addition to this, you can use back blows.
Meanwhile, companies such as Odyssey Health Inc. (OTC: ODYY) are looking to commercialize devices that can quickly help to dislodge any object blocking a person’s airway. These devices can come in handy for families with children who are at high risk of putting random objects in their mouths.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Odyssey Health Inc. (OTC: ODYY) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ODYY
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