Children can choke on food at any age, but those under five are at higher risk, and especially children under three. Having teeth does not mean they can handle all types of foods.
Other choking hazards
It’s not just food that children might eat that they could choke on. Please be mindful of toys such as marbles, game counters, magnets, coins, and toys with small parts. Also ensure that medication is out of children’s reach at all times.
Thousands of children swallow button batteries each year, when combined with saliva, the electrical current from the battery produces caustic soda that burns through the throat or stomach and can cause further internal damage. These batteries are often found in remote-control toys, watches, calculators etc.
Please also consider when you are outside that some children might explore with their mouths and swallow items that they shouldn’t e.g. sand, stones, litter etc. Children with SEND may be more likely to continue to explore things with their mouths and may need extra supervision inside and outside.
Thank you for all of the work that you do to keep children safe and to make eating and drinking a pleasurable experience with risks as minimised as possible.
Useful websites and links
- The Red Cross has helpful first aid information on what to do, including a video
- NHS - How to stop a child from choking
- The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
- Early Years Allergen Factsheet
- Eat Better, Start Better guide
- Healthy Early Years London – includes resources and newsletters
- Foundation Years Healthy Eating and Safe Food Preparation