HOUSTON – Children are curious. For parents, this means you need to keep a close eye on them to make sure they stay safe while they explore and play.
Recently, a Houston area woman said her 3-year-old granddaughter swallowed a battery at a restaurant and was hospitalized because of this.
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Due to this incident, it is important for parents to be on the lookout for choking hazards and know what to do if a child chokes. We’ve provided a list below of some items that are choking hazards.
List of choking hazards
- Button-type batteries
- Latex balloons
- Coins
- Marbles
- Toys with small parts
- Small balls
- Pen or marker caps
- Screws
- Rings
- Earrings
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Staples
- Safety pins
- Small stones
- Tinsel
- Holiday ornaments
- Holiday lights
- Small bows, small rubber bands
- Buttons
- Dog or cat food
- Refrigerator magnets
It’s also important to look at the packaging for toys to see how old a child should be to play with the item and to see what items are choking hazards.
Children who are under 4 years old should also not eat the following foods.
- Hot dogs
- Whole grapes
- Nuts and seeds
- Chunks of meat or cheese
- Hard or sticky candy
- Popcorn
- Chunks of peanut butter
- Large pieces of raw vegetables
- Gum
Parents should call 911 if their child starts choking.
“If a child presents with complete airway obstruction (ie., is unable to speak or cough), dislodgement using back blows and chest compressions in infants, and the Heimlich maneuver in children older than one, should be attempted,” Texas Children’s Hospital wrote in a blog post.
Doctors also recommend for parents to complete a certified first-aid course, so they know how to do CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and the tongue-jaw lift.