Nearly 34 Children Suffer from Food-Choking Emergencies Every Day

Researchers say around 34 children are sent to emergency rooms daily for food-choking.

Nearly 12, 435 children below the age of 14 are admitted to hospitals for non-fatal choking that also involves food. The researchers studied the data on non-fatal food-related choking emergencies among children from 2001 to 2009.

The results showed that the most common thing children choked on was hard candy ( 15 percent). Nearly 13 percent of choking cases were due to different types of candies and 12 percent children choked on meat other than hot dogs and another 12 percent on bones. Choking due to fruits and vegetables accounted for 10 percent.

"Other high-risk foods, such as hot dogs, seeds and nuts, were more likely to require hospitalizations," said Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy in a press release. "These foods have high-risk characteristics that make them more likely to block a child's airway or make them more difficult to chew, which can lead to more serious choking events."

The study analysis also found that over half of the cases were found among children four years of age. But, the choking incidents declined as the children reached seven. And the figure remained constant till age 14.  However, the number of choking incidents due to candies increased with age.

The researchers warned that appropriate steps needed to be taken to avoid food-choking cases. They advised "placing warning labels on foods that pose a high choking risk, changing the design of foods consumed by children to reduce the risk of choking, and developing public awareness campaigns to educate parents about the danger of food-related choking among children."