Choking happens when a child’s airway gets blocked by something. Anything smaller than a 20-cent coin can cause an airway blockage and be a choking risk for children.
Here are examples of choking risks for babies and young children.
Food choking risks include:
- nuts and seeds, including popcorn kernels
- hot dogs and sausages
- pieces and bones of meat, including chicken or fish
- hard foods like crackers and corn chips
- lollies and marshmallows
- unpeeled food like apples, nectarines, grapes and tomatoes
- fruit pips and stones
- raw vegetables like carrots, uncooked peas and lettuce leaves
- stringy food like celery and pineapple.
Household choking risks include:
- coins
- small or button batteries
- small magnets
- the tops of pens and markers
- jewellery.
Toy and toy part choking risks include:
- plastic shapes
- marbles
- the eyes of stuffed toys
- table tennis balls
- uninflated or popped balloons.
Other risks include small things like tablets and chewable vitamins, chewing gum, stickers (like those on fruit) and garden objects (like pebbles).