Tips to prevent choking in young children

We are paging Dr. Paul to get his advice on choking prevention in young children.

Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, A.K.A. Dr. Paul, has treated countless children experiencing choking, and he says choking hazards come in all shapes and sizes.

“When I was working in the emergency room, we had a little boy that came in and had difficulty breathing, and we didn’t know what was going on,” the Eastern Ontario Health Unit CEO and medical officer of health said.

“We did an x-ray, and I saw something in the child’s throat. It was actually a button.”

Dr. Paul joined CTV’s Your Morning Ottawa on Wednesday to speak about choking prevention in young children.

Common choking hazards

According to Dr. Paul, choking hazards may not always be obvious to parents or grandparents. He says young children commonly choke on things like buttons, coins, and even batteries, which can be especially dangerous.

“Kids can swallow these, and they’re very poisonous, corrosive and cause a lot of problems,” he said.

Dr. Paul also says items like paper clips, bobby pins, toothpicks and even pieces of jewelry can be potential choking hazards.

“That’s why I don’t recommend kids getting their ears pierced before five,” he said.

When it comes to food, Dr. Paul recommends avoiding peanuts and nuts, as well as olives with pits. Dr. Paul says foods like hot dogs and grapes should be sliced lengthwise if given to young children and should not be given to children under four.

“Children have a tendency to eat and run and play and avoid that as well,” he said.

When it comes to toys, be aware of pieces that could fall off and become hazards, and when possible, keep toys for older children separate from those meant for young ones.

“Separate those toys. Prevention is best,” Dr. Paul said. “Be aware, you can never imagine a child is going to take out a wheel from a hot wheel and swallow it and choke on it.”

While children can choke year-round, Dr. Paul says choking becomes more common around the holidays as children visit others’ homes more frequently.

“Especially now, you’re visiting other people’s homes, they’re not as baby proof as your home, so just be mindful of that,” he said. “Enjoy children, enjoy toys, but just make sure its age appropriate and you’re supervising.”

What to do if your child is choking?

If a child is having difficulty breathing, Dr. Paul says to call 911 immediately. If the child is suspected of having something in their throat, they should be taken to the emergency room.

“They’ll do an x-ray or examine the child and try to take it out. Because, if it gets lodged in the lung for example, it may cause infection down the road,” he said.

Lastly, Dr. Paul says that parents with young children should take a CPR course so that they can properly assist during emergencies.

“It’s good to know CPR, there’s Heimlich maneuvers and patting on the back, but in general, it’s a good idea to know what to do, get a CPR course,” he said.

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