Choking risks & prevention for kids 0 - 8 years…..

Choking happens when a child’s airway gets blocked. Anything smaller than a 20-cent coin can cause an airway blockage and be a choking risk for children..

Choking risks:

Food items - like lollies, marshmallows, raw apples, raw carrots, uncooked peas, uncooked seeds (including popcorn kernels) grapes, fruit pips & stones , pieces of meat (including chicken & fish), hot dogs & sausages

Household items - like coins, small batteries, small magnets, the tops off pens & markers, jewellery

Toys & toy parts - like plastic shapes, marbles, the eyes of stuffed toys, table tennis balls & balloons (uninflated or popped)

Garden objects - like pebbles

Any other small items.

Tips for preventing choking while your child is eating:

Sit while eating - Your child is more likely to choke if they eat while lying down, running around or playing, so sitting at a table or even on the floor will reduce the risk. If you sit with your child while they eat, and talk to or entertain them, they’ll be less tempted to get up and run around

Encourage your child to chew food well - Teaching your child to chew and swallow properly, and to take their time during meals, will reduce their risk of choking

Keep food pieces small - Until your child can chew well, give your child food in pieces smaller than a pea. Anything bigger than this is hard for little children to eat safely. This is because their airways are small, and they’re still learning to chew and swallow properly

Cook, grate or mash hard foods - particularly hard fruit and vegetables like carrots and apples

Avoid whole nuts & similar hard foods until you child is three years old - Corn chips, marshmallows, lollies and grapes can also be choking risks

Avoid giving your baby a bottle in bed - Babies who fall asleep with a bottle can draw liquid into their lungs and choke on it

Tips for preventing choking around your home:

Try to keep small objects out of reach - Curiosity leads to children putting unusual things in their mouth. Check the floor for small objects like leggo etc. by getting down to child height & look around

Follow the age recommendations on toys - Use toys that are solid & sturdy, avoid toys with small parts, breakable parts or brittle surfaces. Check toys for exposed stuffing & loose screws & buttons

Avoid buying toys with button batteries - Check battery compartments on items in your home to make sure they are secured. Keep loose button batteries out of reach

Keep toys for small children and older siblings in separate boxes - Encourage older siblings to keep their little toys out of reach. This might include Lego, doll clothes, beads, car parts and so on

Do you know what to do for a choking child? Read choking first aid article and illustrated guides to choking first aid for babies and choking first aid for children and teens take you through the steps.

Product Safety Australia’s free, do-it-yourself Choke Check tool can help you identify toys and other objects that pose choking or ingestion hazards. You can also visit or subscribe to Product Safety Australia Recalls to keep an eye out for product recall information.