Choking

Each day around 40 under-5s are taken to hospital after choking on something or swallowing something dangerous. Follow these tips to help minimise the danger:

• Grapes are the third most common cause of death in food-related accidents. The size and shape of them can completely plug a child's airway. Always chop grapes in half lengthways and ideally into quarters
• Avoid giving peanuts to children under the age of 6
• Do not prop a baby up to feed from a bottle - they will not be able to push it away if they choke
• Keep small objects out of reach of babies and toddlers who may put them in their mouth
• Always cut up food for toddlers to make it safer to eat - they can even choke on soft meat such as hot dogs
• Stay with your toddler while they are eating
• Try to encourage older children to stay still while they are eating as it is much easier to choke while running around.

Find out how to save a choking baby in this short St John's Ambulance video:

Read more in our home safety blog. You might find our Coping with lumpy foods information helpful.