Toddlers have busy hands. They like touching, reaching and putting anything their hands can grab into their mouths. Thus, the reason why toddlers have a high possibility of choking on food and small objects. Below are some safety precautions you need to follow in order to protect your toddler from these choking hazards.

Pay Attention

Supervise your toddler every time he is eating or drinking. Teach him to chew and swallow his food before talking or laughing. See to it your toddler is seated while eating. Do not let him run, walk, climb or throw food in the air and catch it with his mouth. Store chokable foods in an area your toddler cannot reach.

Mash, Grind and Chop

Always cut up your toddler’s food into bite-size pieces before serving it to him. Puree and chop hotdog, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, chicken and cheese into small portions. This will make it easier for the food to go down the trachea (windpipe).

Accurately Time Introduction of Solid Foods

Now that your little one is eating solids, you have to be very meticulous of the food you will serve. See to it that he has the motor skills to swallow to prevent choking. Do not give your toddler any hard, smooth foods if he is below 4 years old as this can partially or completely obstruct the trachea. Avoid giving him the following:

• Hard candy
• Popcorn
• Nuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Fruits with pits
• Unpeeled fruits (e.g. apple and pear)
• Soft foods (e.g. bubble gum, caramel, marshmallow, jelly or gummy candies)
• Peanut butter
• Sausages
• Raw celery, carrots and peas

Read

See to it that you read all manufacturers’ food labels cautiously to find out if it contains ingredients that pose choking hazards. Also, be wary of foods with labels that says “100% organic”, “all-natural” or “no preservatives”. Not all of them are honest.

Evaluate Your Toddler’s Toys

Look for age guidelines when buying toys for your little one. Some toys contain small parts that can cause suffocation, so make sure you read and understand everything that is written on a toy’s packaging. Do not forget to inspect the item as well. In addition, check your toddler’s toys regularly to ensure they are in excellent condition. Some of his toys may have loose parts like a busted plastic hinge, chipped paint, loose eyes or cracked parts that may need repair or has to be thrown away.

Properly Store Small Objects

Get on your hands and knees and check the floor and tables for small items that could pose a choking risk such as  buttons, batteries, coins, clips, safety pins, small balls and toys, bolts and screws or any object smaller than 1 ¼ inches. You can buy a small object choking tester or use an empty toilet paper roll to help you assess the safety of an object. If it fits into the cylinder, it is a choking hazard. Keep these harmful objects in a container and place them in a cabinet with a lock. Also, make sure you keep hazardous household items like detergent, toilet cleaner, fertilizers and other products with chemicals out of your toddler’s reach.

Your toddler’s safety is your number one priority and the best way to ensure that is to childproof your home so you can provide your precious one a haven where he can explore safely.