Newsletter

Since 1943, March has been Red Cross month in the U.S., a celebration of “the individuals across the country who turn compassion into action, helping others in times of crisis.” In light of this critical mission, we are talking about an important first aid skill this month, how to prevent, recognize, and help choking children.

Prevent it!

Unfortunately, choking is a real danger to our littlest ones. 75% of deaths in children under three come as a result of choking. The best thing, of course, is to prevent choking in the first place. Both food and inedible objects can lead to a choking incident. A good rule of thumb for small toys or art supplies is to make sure that all parts are larger than the width of a toilet paper roll, including the batteries. Steer clear of craft projects with small items such as beads. You can also check toy recall notices from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to make sure you know if your child’s playroom contains unknown dangers.

As for food, skip “sticky” foods until babies are at least one. This includes peanut butter, dried fruits, gummy candies, marshmallows, and even large clumps of raisins or cranberries. Hard foods that could be swallowed whole, like popcorn or nuts, should be avoided until 4 years old. For round or cylindrical shaped snacks, like grapes or hot dogs, it is safest to cut them into pieces until a child is at least 3 years old when they can be allowed to eat them whole.

Recognize it

Not everything is avoidable, however, so you should know how to recognize when your child is choking. The most common initial symptoms for children are choking, gagging, coughing, or wheezing. Yet it is possible that these symptoms may subside without the problem going away. If you hear a high-pitched sound when the child breathes, your child’s cough gets worse, or your child is unable to speak, the foreign object may still be causing airway obstruction. If your child stops breathing or has blueness around the lips, you need to act immediately.

Treat it

If you need to take action, don’t try to remove the foreign object yourself. You could end up pushing the object further down the child’s throat. Call 911 if your child is having trouble breathing before you begin taking any other action. If your child is still coughing, encourage them to keep doing so. If your child stops coughing but has trouble breathing or talking, you may need to do the Heimlich maneuver. If the child is upright, bend them forward while holding their waist. Alternate five back blows between their shoulder blades and five abdominal thrusts until the object dislodges or the child can cough or breathe. If your child becomes unconscious you may need to perform CPR. The fine details of both the Heimlich and CPR are beyond the scope of this newsletter but you can learn how to do so from reputable organizations like (of course) the Red Cross or the American Heart Association.

Limit calorie-rich temptations - Reducing the availability of high-fat and high-sugar or salty snacks can help your children develop healthy eating habits. Only allow your children to eat these foods rarely, so that they truly will be treats!

Help children stay active - In addition to being fun for children, regular physical activity has many health benefits. Children ages 3 through 5 years should be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should be physically active at least 60 minutes each day.

Reduce sedentary time - Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day.

Ensure adequate sleep - Too little sleep is associated with obesity, partly because inadequate sleep makes us eat more and be less physically active. Children need more sleep than adults, and the amount varies by age. See the recommended amounts of sleep and suggested habits to improve sleep. *www.cdc.gov

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