Foods That Can Cause Choking

byJoanne B. Parrotta

Food—the one thing we want our children to put in their mouths—is also the most common cause of choking. Almost any food is a potential choking hazard, depending on its size and consistency. Just imagine trying to eat with only your gums or very few teeth.

          It is important that you cut your children’s food into small pieces and that you avoid hard foods. Forgetting a simple step like cutting grapes in half for younger children can have grave results.

          The following are the foods that are most commonly choked on:

v  grapes

v  raisins

v  raw carrots

v  nuts

v  hot dogs

v  large pieces of meat

v  crusty bread and bagels

v  hard candy

v  lollipops

v  popcorn

v  gum

v  peanut butter (eaten by the spoon)

v  stringy foods (melted cheese on pizza, celery, asparagus)

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you do not give these foods, or any round, firm food, to children younger than four years without first completely chopping up the food. In addition, peel all fruits. Because seeds are easily inhaled and can lead to infections in the lungs, carefully remove seeds from all fruits and don't give your child sunflower or pumpkin seeds until he or she is five years old.

Safe Finger Foods

Children over the age of 12 months love finger foods. Here are some suggestions for safer foods. Remember, though, that any food can be a choking hazard, so always supervise your children while they’re eating.

v  O-shaped cereals

v  well-cooked carrots

v  whole-wheat toast (remove crust)

v  scrambled egg yolk

v  French toast (without egg white)

v  cooked peas (no pod)

v  very ripe pear chunks

v  well-cooked apple chunks

v  cooked pasta pieces (consider using whole-grain pasta)

v  tofu chunks

v  avocado dip or chunks

v  soft-cooked beans