A new study, published in the journal Pediatrics, examined the rates of emergency room visits for non-fatal choking incidents in children.  The researchers used data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, looking at emergency department visits that involved choking from 2001 to 2009.  Using the corresponding narratives and medical records, researchers identified food-related choking cases, including the specific food that was involved.

For children between the ages of 0 and 14, there were 111,914 cases of non-fatal, food-related choking during the time period studied in a nationally representative sample.  This amounted to an annual average of 12,435 incidents per 100,000 people.  The most common food type associated with choking was hard candy (15.5 percent), followed by other types of candy (12.8 percent), meat (12.2 percent), and bones (12 percent).  The majority of cases were treated and released, but about 10 percent were hospitalized.  Hospitalization was more common for children that choked on hot dogs, seeds, or nuts.

Commentary on this study notes that there is cause for concern.  This is a high rate of choking, but is still an underestimate.  By only studying emergency rooms, it overlooks cases of children that have choking incidents and go to an urgent care facility not associated with a hospital, are treated by a primary care physician, or do not seek treatment even if the incident was serious because they were able to expel the food.  The statistics also do not include children that died as a result of choking.

In addition to food, there are numerous other potential choking hazards for children.  Any small objects that can be found around the house, such as a buttons, small rocks, coins, and balloons, pose a potential choking hazard.  Children’s toys, or pieces of toys, can pose a risk if children are able to get a small enough piece loose.  For infants that are teething, use of teething cream that numbs the gums can also interfere with swallowing, exacerbating the risk of choking.  The majority of food-related choking hazards can be avoided by carefully selecting what to feed children and cutting up the food into small enough bites so that they no longer pose a risk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends taking action to reduce the incidence of food-related choking.  First, certain foods that pose a high choking risk should be appropriately labeled to warn parents.  Second, foods that continue to pose a significant risk should be recalled.  Finally, food manufacturers should commit to working on redesigning and reshaping products to minimize the choking risk.