Pediatricians urge choking warning labels

February 21, 2010
Courier Express Tri-County Sunday

The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for changes to be made in the way food is designed and labeled to minimize children’s risk of choking. Choking kills more than 100 U.S. children 14 years or younger each year and thousands more (15,000 in 2001) are treated in emergency rooms.

Candy and gum are the leading causes of choking, as well as items like coins and balloons. In 2006, 141 choking deaths in children were reports of which 61 were food related. However, pediatricians still feel this is a low estimate and that there are many choking incidents that go unreported. Pediatricians are urging the FDA to establish a nationwide choking reporting system to identify high risk foods.

Federal law mandates choking warning labels on small toys, so the pediatrics academy is urging the same be done for high-risk foods. High risk food include: hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes and apples. These high risk foods should be cut in to small pea-sized pieces for children to reduce the hazard of choking. Foods such as hard candy, popcorn, peanuts, and marshmallows shouldn’t be given to younger children at all.

Another recommendation by the academy to the food industry is to avoid shapes and sizes that pose a choking risk. For example, making lollipops flat like a silver dollar instead of round like a ping pong ball.