Child Choking Hazards

Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff and all Arizona communities

Having a young child around the house changes the way you look at and handle things. When you cook, you have to somehow watch your youngster while still keeping him or her out of the dangerous kitchen workspace. When you watch TV, you have to be careful that you aren’t viewing anything inappropriate. And finally, when you clean and organize your home, you have to make sure that all potential choking hazards are placed well out of reach.

Young children – toddlers and infants in particular – tend to be very curious and like to test out unknown objects through touch, smell, and taste. Because of this, small and swallowable items can pose a very serious choking threat to them. As a parent or supervisor, it is your responsibility to make sure that the following items, as well as others of comparable size, are always kept out of a child’s reach:

• • Paper clips
  • Pen caps
  • Marbles
  • Balloons
  • Small toy parts like Lego’s and game pieces
  • Rubber bands

You should also bear in mind that certain foods should not be fed to young children, as they too can become lodged in the throat and cause a devastating choking incident. Avoid feeding your child round and tough-skinned foods like hot dog pieces and grapes, chewy foods like peanut butter and candy, and light foods like popcorn and chips.