Choking Prevention

Keep the following items away from infants and young children:

Latex balloons, Coins, Marbles, Toys with small parts, Toys that can be compressed to fit entirely into a child's mouth, Small balls, Pen or marker caps, Small button-type batteries, Medicine syringes.

Before a child begins to crawl, get down on his level and look for dangerous items. If you have older children, pay extra attention to their toys and be sure your younger child can't get into them.

  • Be aware that balloons pose a choking risk to children of any age.
  • Keep the following foods from children until 4 years of age: Hot dogs, Nuts and seeds, Chunks of meat or cheese, Whole grapes, (Hard, gooey, or sticky) candy, Popcorn, Chunks of peanut butter, Raw vegetables, Raisins, Chewing gum.
  • Insist that children eat at the table, or at least while sitting down. They should never run, walk, play or lie down with food in their mouths.