When the baby first starts to have teeth, it is an entirely new experience for him/her. The baby tries to chew anything and everything in the surroundings, whether it is eatable or not. The child explores new objects and discovers new tastes to satisfy his curiosity at this stage. Thus, it is impossible to completely stop the child from doing this. However, the parents must be very conscious about what the child puts into his mouth. Small objects like buttons, coins, popcorn, and crayons can obstruct the child’s windpipe and result in choking.

The respiratory system of little kids is not fully mature. The airway passage as well as the gastrointestinal tract is quite narrow. The babies have a tendency to gulp down things in one go which can partially block the airway. Apart from this, they try to smell things and insert objects into their nostrils, which can cause suffocation. The child is not able to breathe properly when an object, mostly a toy or food is blocking the trachea (windpipe). This is the primary reason of choking and suffocation in kids.

What should be done to prevent choking?

• Never keep your homes cluttered. The toddlers tend to walk around on their knees and put anything they find on the floor inside their mouth. So for the safety of your child, always keep the floors extremely clean and the house very organized.
• The clothes should be comfortable and well-fitting. Do not put anything around the baby’s neck, like chains, scarves, etc. Also, baby’s clothing should not contain tiny dangling objects as the baby could try to eat them.
• The baby’s crib should be well-designed. The bedding should not be very soft or fuzzy and there must be no loose ends or hanging safety pins. The crib must not be placed near the cords.
• The toys that the baby plays with must be safety approved. Never buy toys which are inappropriate for the child’s age. The toy should not contain small parts and must be durable such that it is not easily broken into pieces. The good-quality, branded toys available in the market are not only suitable for a child’s age and prevent choking hazards, but also aid in the child’s mental development.
• Always remember that the food that we can eat easily can’t be eaten by babies. Avoid feeding them with food items like popcorn, large hard candy and fruits with seeds. Raw, stiff fruits like apple slice, grapes can block the baby’s trachea.
• Always break the child’s food into very small pieces and see to it that the child chews the food rather than swallowing it. Feed the child with soft foods like porridge, boiled apple, juice, milk, etc. as the child grows, you can substitute this with items like bread, but the chunks must not be very large. Never let the child eat in a secluded place.

If the child had accidentally swallowed something and is coughing, he/she will be fine in a few minutes. However, if an item like a coin is swallowed by the child, encourage the child to spit it out by coughing. If the child is choking, call emergency services immediately.

Many parents are constantly anxious about the safety of their child. It is important that you keep some things in mind while taking care of a little child to avoid such situations.