Get prepared for a choking emergency in your home.

Did you know… Choking is one of the leading causes of death in young children: every five days, a child every five days dies from choking; but, we can stop that!

Summer serves up an increase in backyard barbecues and gatherings, and unfortunately, with that comes an increase in choking cases. Don’t worry though, no need to give up those beloved hamburgers, hot dogs and smokey ribs, follow these tips to keep you and your loved ones safe.


*The Top Choking Causing Foods are:

Carrots

Popcorn

Marshmallows

Hot dogs

Nuts

Chicken Bones

Peanut

Apples

Gumballs

Hard candy

Whole Grapes

Chunks of Meat


Now, that doesn’t mean your kiddos can’t enjoy a hot dog at the neighborhood grill-out, what it means is you need to teach them how to properly eat these sometimes dangerous foods, and be watching them closely when they do enjoy these foods.

As you know, I always like to help you with PREVENTION tips before we go into action steps.

*TOP WAYS TO PREVENT CHOKING:
Monitor children when they eatChildren should sit down while eating
Encourage them to eat slowly and chew food thoroughlyChildren should not eat in the car, especially in a car seatCut food into appropriate sizes (cut hot dogs lengthwise and widthwise)
Cut foods for young children no larger than ½ inch
I know it’s hard to discuss, but let’s go over what to do if a child chokes:

1. STAY CALM: You know what to do.

2. If the child is coughing but can breathe and cry or talk - this means the airway is not completely blocked. Stay with the child, encourage them to cough, and let the episode pass.

3. If the child cannot breathe, speak, or appears to be panicked: do your best to stay calm and perform 5 back blows and then either chest thrusts (< 1 year old) or abdominal thrusts (> 1 year old).

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I highly recommend all parents to become CPR certified! Even if you call 911 and an EMT can be there in 5 minutes, that’s a long time for a little brain to go without oxygen. It’s important to know what to do and be able to act fast!

Whew, okay, I know it’s a lot -- but you got this!! Stay safe and keep on rocking -- you all are truly amazing and I am so so thankful for each and every one of you.

If you’d like to learn more about medical emergencies at home, please check out my digital course.

summer safetyRyan Trippchoking, emergency, medical, choke1 Comment