Every five days a child in the United States dies by choking on food.  This is the fourth leading cause of accidental death in children under the age of five years.  Follow these tips to keep your child safe.
 
1.  Cut food into small pieces, such as grapes into quarters, hot dogs into lengthwise strips-not round pieces.
2.  Remove small bones from meat, fish and chicken.  Cut meat into very small pieces.
3.  Remove seeds from fruit.
4.  Keep “choking foods” out of children’s reach.  Example – nuts on low tables.
5.  Teach children to chew well and slowly.
6.  Don’t rush meals.
7.  Limit distractions while eating.
8.  Insist children sit up and sit still.
9.  Don’t let children talk, walk, run, laugh or play with food in their mouth.
10.Supervise children, don’t leave them alone while eating.
11.No eating in the car while it is moving.
12.Teething medication can interfere with chewing and swallowing.
13.Avoid risky foods for young children.  Do not serve popcorn, nuts, seeds, gum, raw carrots, and hard candy.
 
Remember: Slippery, round, firm or hard foods are difficult for small children to hold in place in their mouth and chew.