New Information or Common Knowledge?
This just in…The following information may come as a shock to you. Hotdogs, hard candy, grapes, popcorn, nuts and other small, hard items of food are choking hazards. Of course, large pieces of food, like hunks of meat, potatoes, bread, a peach pit, carrots, apples and really anything are potential choking hazards.
How can one prevent this would-be accident? Well, one could avoid food that is any larger than a green pea, or you could throw caution to the wind and eat what you would like, chewing each bite carefully and thoroughly before swallowing. You should also teach your kids this life saving measure, and take care to feed your children small pieces of age appropriate foods. Of course, avoiding hotdogs and hard candy is a good idea for many reasons besides the potential to become lodged in your child's throat, but that is another topic altogether. I digress.
An Overloaded Potato
All joking aside, choking is a serious matter, and one I don't take lightly. I ask my Darling Boys and my DH, "Are you choking?" at just about every meal. In fact, this topic reminds me of the time that DH choked on a chunk of baked potato. It was some kind of Texas-sized southern fried chicken and gravy baked potato (if you can imagine such a thing). We were in college, and were eating with my parents who had come to town to see me off at the airport the next day. I was leaving to study abroad in London, and I remember thinking in those split seconds that DH was choking that I wouldn't be able to go if DH died, which sounds petty and callous, but that wasn't my feeling. It was just a matter-of-fact, fleeting thought that I remember going through my head.
DH, then Dear Boyfriend, began choking, indicating he could not breathe. My father, a much shorter man than DH, jumped up from his chair, knocking his chair backwards, grabbed hold of DH, picking him up and plunging his fists up under DH's ribcage dislodging the chunk of baked potato, and thereby saving DH's life, as my mom and I sat silently staring at the scene. Should he have avoided the loaded potato? Probably so, for a variety of reasons, none of which have to do with choking hazards, but truthfully he could have choked on anything. Do we really need labels on everything from grapes to marshmallows to hotdogs warning of the potential choking hazards these foods carry for its youngest clientele?
Choking Hazard Warnings
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 10,000 children under 14 go to the emergency room annually for food-related choking. Each year between 66 and 77 kids under age 10 die due to choking on food. That number might not seem that high unless one of them is your child.
The argument is that toys have choking warnings and age appropriate labels, why not apply the same standards to food? The AAP is asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require warning labels on foods that are known choking hazards. At the same time, the AAP is calling for the redesign of certain foods that are leading choking hazards, such as the hot dog; advocating for the recall of food products with a significant and unacceptable choking hazard; and requesting the establishment of a national surveillance and reporting system warning the public of food-related choking hazards. Is this going too far? The FDA has said "it will review the AAP's recommendations and continue to work with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on assessing choking hazards associated with food."
Exhibit A: The Hot Dog
We have long known that the hot dog is a nutritional death trap full of fat, sodium and other preservatives, but now the "iconic food" is getting a bad rap based on its shape too. The small cylindrical shape of a hot dog is the "perfect" shape and size for getting stuck in a child's throat. While approximately 2/3 of hot dogs do already have choking hazard warning labels advising parents to cut them into small pieces for children, consumer protection groups say that is not enough.
The call to redesign the shape of hot dogs has been scoffed at and has become the butt of many jokes. In fact, the president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Janet Riley has said that she "redesigns" hot dogs herself with a paring knife, cutting it into a smaller, safer size before giving it to toddlers, and says a redesign is "not going to happen."
I think Riley has a point, at some level it becomes the parent's responsibility to ensure that his/her child is eating food that is the appropriate size and texture for that child's age. However, a food designer has come up with a new hot dog design that will be marketed on the East Coast. It's the same shape, but it has deep slits cuts into the sides that open as it cooks, causing the hot dog to break apart as a child eats it.
Exhibit B: Popcorn
After a 23 month old girl choked on popcorn and died her family sued the popcorn company because the warning label was small and printed on the bottom of the box and they were unaware it was a choking hazard. The family settled the lawsuit out of court, but popcorn companies have begun placing more visible warnings.
In this case, there was a label warning of the hazards of small children eating this product. However, the label itself was not enough. It was not large enough or placed in a way that was apparent to the consumer.
Exhibit C: Other Hazardous Foods
It seems that many consumers are unaware of which foods are hazardous to young children, and may need to be warned. Is this the company's responsibility or the parent's responsibility? According to the AAP, other high-risk foods include apples, chewing gum, chunks of peanut butter, hard candy, marshmallows, nuts, raw carrots, sausages, seeds and grapes. And if the AAP get its way, we will begin seeing warning labels on all of these products and perhaps more.
The Scoop
Again, I'm quite paranoid about my Darling Boys choking. Whether the offending object is food, a found object in the yard or a small toy, I am ever watchful and concerned about them choking. I do not take this subject matter lightly. However, I find it hard to believe that a parent or caregiver is not aware of the dangers in feeding a young child a marshmallow or carrot, etc.
Is it not common sense that a child with little experience eating/chewing/swallowing food might not be able to properly eat hard candy or a hot dog or popcorn, for example? Even if it isn't common sense, I have been given these warnings both verbally and in writing from the pediatrician since my Darlings were old enough to eat food of any kind. So, if it's not common sense and a parent either doesn't receive the warnings from the pediatrician or somehow misses that information, will that parent notice and read the warning labels on food packages? Is it necessary and helpful for the FDA to require these choking hazard warning labels on food items?
How do you feel about choking hazard warning labels on food? Do you notice and read warning labels? Drop me a line and tell me your thoughts. On Wednesday, I will post tips on preventing choking and what to do in the event your child does choke. Over and out….
Anna
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I rarely read warning labels. They are all common sense. It's also common sense that all those things are choking hazards and shouldn't be given to small children, at least not without close supervision. I think a redesigned hot dog is ridiculous.
Posted by: Jen | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 02:49 PM
This is so ridiculous! If folks are stupid about what they put in front of their children, and/or stupid about how they monitor their kids while eating, their children may die of choking--there is just warning to everyone. Furthermore, accidents happen. It is not anyone's fault. Sue a popcorn company? LAME! Accept accidents and poor judgments as just that, and nobody else's fault! Maybe they should sue the earth for making a food that is such a choking hazard!
Posted by: Missy Krouth | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 06:28 PM
Everything's a choking hazard in our house...even milk! Common sense and eat with your children. That will solve some of these problems.
Posted by: Heidi | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 11:34 PM
In 1987 my little brother (age 2 1/2) choked on a marshmallow. They liquefy in your lungs. The Heimlich maneuver can do very little for you once this happens.
Hotdogs by their size and shape, and popcorn due to it difficulty to chew, and hard candies are all obvious choking hazards. Marshmallows, being soft, fluffy, and melty, are not so obvious a danger.
Why argue with the idea of putting warning labels on food to help educate people? I know plenty of wonderful, caring, GOOD parents who don't know everything. All of us.
Posted by: Erinjanelle | Monday, May 02, 2011 at 02:13 PM