With this blog post I wanted to talk about choking and strangulation prevention in youth. I think that a lot of time kids choke on their food or toys and it can be very harmful to them but not much is done to prevent this from happening again. While there are a lot of choking and strangulation injuries, nearly almost all of them can be prevented.
How much does this affect children?
-In one study, 1,099 children under the age of 15 died due to unintentional choking/strangulation
-94% of these deaths were under the age of 5
-1/3 of toy-related deaths (during childhood) reported are due to unintentional choking
-The leading cause for unintentional injury-related deaths for children under the age of 1 is choking/strangulation
-34 kids per day are seen in the ER for choking on food
When and how do these injuries occur?
Choking:
Children under the age of 3 are at the greatest risk for choking on food and account for about 2/3 of choking deaths and injuries for children. Balloons are the most common cause of choking deaths for children. Coins, such as pennies, are the most common item that result in childhood choking injuries.
Accidental choking (non-fatal) in young children
Causes:
Age:
Fatal choking in young children
Causes:
Age:
Strangulation:
Strangulation happens when a product, such as ribbons, clothing drawstrings, ribbons, jewelry etc... wrap around their necks. Children are often strangled in cribs, bunk beds, baby strollers, and more.
Who is at risk?
-Young children around the age of 3 are at the greatest risk
-Male, low income, and non-Caucasian children are at the greatest risk for choking and strangulation
Prevention:
Always supervising children while they are playing and eating.
Make sure that children play with toys meant for their age.
Remove hood and neck draw strings from children's clothing and never allow your children to wear necklaces, purses, or anything that could strangle them.
Never hang anything long above a crib (such as a ribbon).
Never force young children to eat.
Cut food into small pieces (especially meats, vegetables, grapes, etc...).
Consider the quality of toys that you are giving to your child.
Learn first aid or CPR to help in an emergency situation.
Check out for how to prevent choking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u8Pso3Mcqc
If your child is choking:
-Encourage them to cough, as this might dislodge the the object
-Stay calm and monitor their breathing
For more information:
https://www.safekids.org/choking https://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/child-safety-topics-terms/choking-strangulation
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