Keeping Kids Safe at Meals: Preventing and Responding to Choking Mia Dustin, dietetics student, Savannah Daines, M.P.H., Stacy Bevan, M.S., R.D., Palak Gupta, Ph.D., and Mateja R. Savoie Roskos, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D.
Introducing solid foods is an exciting developmental milestone, but it can also raise concerns about choking for parents and caregivers. Choking occurs when an object, such as food or a toy, blocks a child’s airway and prevents air from moving in and out of the lungs. This can have serious or even life-threatening consequences. Food is the most common choking hazard in infants and young children due to several factors, including their tendency to explore the world by putting things in their mouths, smaller airways, developing chewing and swallowing skills, and ability to become easily distracted while eating (Chang et al., 2021; Siddell et al., 2013). This fact sheet offers practical guidance on how to prevent food-related choking, recognize the signs of a choking emergency, and what to do if a child is choking.
How You Can Prevent Choking
Parents and caregivers can lower the risk of food-related choking emergencies by following three key strategies: 1. Ensure food is prepared and served safely, 2. Create a safe eating environment, and 3. Help children develop safe eating behaviors (Lorenzoni et al., 2022; Saccomanno et al., 2023).