Choking prevention in small children

Choking Hazards for Babies Under 12 Months

August 10, 2013 by HealthyFamilies BC

baby boy being spoon fed, with food on his face

Choking is another thing you have to keep in mind when your baby starts on solid foods. Young children's mouth muscles aren't well developed so you have to take some safety precautions.

To help prevent choking, watch your baby eat. And don't provide food during car rides or in the stroller. You may also want to avoid certain foods, like hard, round or sticky things that can be hard for babies to manage. Or you can prepare those foods carefully, as shown in the following examples:

Potential Food Hazards	Examples:	Steps to make food easier:
Round	Whole grapes Small tomatoes or large berries Hot dogs, sausages	Slice lengthwise into quarters
Hard	Fruit with pits or seeds Raw vegetables that can break into chunks, such as carrots Whole nuts or peanuts Seeds	Remove pits and seeds Grate or chop finely, cook and slice into thin sticks Chop finely
Sticky	Globs of peanut butter Raisins and other dried fruit Marshmallows	Spread thinly on toast or crackers Cut into small pieces
Stringy	Celery and citrus fruit, such as oranges and grapefruit Leafy vegetables	Remove large, stringy sections Cut into small pieces
Chunky	Chunky peanut butter or nut and seed butter Large chunks of meat or cheese	Choose smooth nut butters or seed butters; spread thinly on toast or cracker Cut into small cubes
Easy to eat by handfuls without chewing	Pretzels, chips	Serve small amounts onto plate or in bowl rather than out of bag
Bones	Chicken and whole fish	Remove bones from chicken and fish; flake fish before serving. Rub between fingers to feel for bones

Resources & Links:
HealthLink BC: Choking Rescue for Babies
HealthLink BC: Choking Prevention in Small Children

Previous Next

Playground Safety for Toddlers

Playground safety tips: Use the following guidelines to check the safety of any playgrounds or parks you visit.

Physical Activity When Planning a Pregnancy

Daily physical activity is incredibly beneficial for women’s health, especially when planning for a healthy pregnancy.

Making Sense of Media Messages: Media and Digital Literacy

Your child interacts with media every day. Some of it might inform or entertain her, and some will try to sell her things or ideas. It can be overwhelming for your child – and you! But you can help your child learn to understand and question media messages.

Internet Safety

The internet can be a powerful tool for learning and social interaction. It’s also a place where your child could encounter dangerous material or people. Here are some tips to help your child enjoy the benefits of the internet while avoiding the risks.

Special Issues With Multiple Births

If you're expecting more than one baby, you already know you'll be facing extra challenges as parents.

Babies' Language Development from 9-12 Months

Language skills in nine to 12 month old babies tend to flourish rapidly.

Information on the Second Stage of Labour

The second stage of labour begins with full dilation and ends with your baby's birth. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to two or three hours.

Dental Care for Preschoolers

Healthy teeth and gums are vital to your child’s general health. You can get your child off to a great start by cleaning her teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Babies' Cognitive Development from 6-9 Months

As your baby grows, he or she will get better at learning to think - This is cognitive development.

Mom and Baby Staying Together

Before we knew better, hospital staff took babies away from their mothers at birth. Most of these practices have changed.

Caring for Your Baby's Umbilical Cord Area

A small portion of your baby's umbilical cord will remain attached after birth. This stump will fall off on its own within about five to 15 days.

Pregnancy Passport is a booklet to support you in having a healthy pregnancy

Getting Your Pregnancy Passport

Pregnancy is a special kind of journey - and you can get a special kind of passport to help.

Fish and Mercury

Canada's Food Guide recommends that adults eat at least two servings of fish each week. Here’s some advice on meeting that guideline.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight After Pregnancy

Weight gain during pregnancy is healthy and normal, but you may feel heavy after the baby's born.

Writing Your Birth Plan or Birth Wishes

Once you go into labour, you may not be able to control your surroundings. So many women write up a birth plan.

Manage Your Email Subscriptions:

Get the latest on your favourite healthy living topics sent directly to your inbox. Subscribe to our HealthyFamilies BC newsletter where you will receive up-to-date information on healthy living. Interested in receiving information on a specific topic? Click on the topic(s) in the list below that interest you. You may change your subscription preferences at any time.

General Newsletter

Want to increase your food skills? Receive information, tips and tools to learn how to choose and enjoy nutritious foods.

Positive changes can be made at any age. Receive information about lifestyle supports including those around alcohol and tobacco.

Getting started or staying active? Receive tips, tools and guidelines so you can learn how to fit physical activity into your daily life.

As your child grows you will have questions along the way. Receive information you can trust from pregnancy and the early years.

: testing newsletter

Healthy Families BC

Choking Hazards for Babies Under 12 Months

Topic

HealthyFamilies BC Tools

Breastfeeding Buddy

Sodium Sense

Shopping Sense

Sugary Drink Sense

Manage Your Email Subscriptions:

Search Google Appliance

You are here

Choking Hazards for Babies Under 12 Months

Related

Topic

HealthyFamilies BC Tools

Breastfeeding Buddy

Sodium Sense

Shopping Sense

Sugary Drink Sense

Manage Your Email Subscriptions: