Simple Ways to Reduce Choking Hazards

Every parent knows that keeping a young child safe can feel like a full-time job. There are the obvious things we all prepare for—sharp corners, steep stairs, hot stoves—but some of the most serious risks are the ones we don’t see coming. Choking is one of those hidden dangers. It happens quickly, often silently, and in many cases with everyday foods or objects that seem harmless at first glance.

For many parents, the idea of their child choking is something they don’t even want to think about. But the purpose of this article isn’t to alarm or add more stress to an already long list of things parents have to worry about. Instead, the goal is to empower parents and caregivers by offering clear, practical ways that they can reduce risks to prevent choking.

How Common Is Childhood Choking?

Unfortunately, choking is much more common than many parents realize. While it doesn’t always make headlines, choking remains one of the most significant health threats for young children, especially toddlers and preschoolers who are still learning how to chew, swallow, and explore the world safely.

Parents and caregivers should know that the risk is very real. According to the New York State Department of Health, at least one child in the United States dies every five days from choking on food. Of these deaths, 75% occur in children under the age of three. Each year, more than 12,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for food-related choking injuries.

Why Younger Children Are More Vulnerable

Young children are naturally at higher risk for choking, not because parents are inattentive, but because of biological and developmental factors.

Smaller Airways: A tiny piece of food or a small object can block a young child’s airway much more easily.
Underdeveloped Chewing Abilities: Toddlers often “gum” food instead of fully chewing it, making certain foods—like hot dogs, grapes, or nuts—particularly risky.
Immature Swallowing Reflexes: Coordination between chewing, swallowing, and breathing is still developing in younger children.
Limited Ability to Cough Forcefully: Very young children may not have the lung power to clear an obstruction on their own.

These vulnerabilities mean that even foods widely viewed as healthy or harmless can pose unexpected danger if not prepared appropriately.

The Objects Kids Choke On Most Often

While many parents focus on sharp edges or toxic substances, the items that pose the greatest choking risk are often ordinary foods and small household objects. Understanding which items are most dangerous—and why—can help families take simple, preventative steps to keep kids safe.

Food Hazards

Certain foods are considered riskier for children under five due to their size, shape, or texture. These include:

Hot dogs
Sausages
Popcorn
Nuts
Grapes
Peanut butter
Hard candy
Chewing gum
Raisins
Raw carrots
Apple chunks

The CDC reports that about 19% of nonfatal choking incidents treated in emergency rooms are caused by candy or gum alone. Foods that are small, round, or compressible are particularly hazardous because they can easily block a child’s airway. Even healthy snacks like grapes, raisins, or apple chunks can become dangerous if not prepared in age-appropriate ways.

Household Items

Children don’t just choke on food; everyday household objects are also common causes of choking incidents. This includes:

Coins: Responsible for about 13% of nonfatal choking episodes seen in emergency rooms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Small Toys/Toy Parts: Many toys marketed to older children contain tiny pieces that can be a hazard if left within reach of younger siblings.
Balloons: Latex balloons are a leading cause of fatal foreign-body aspiration, accounting for 29% of deaths between 1972 and 1992. Deflated or broken pieces are especially dangerous.
Batteries: Batteries, especially the small round ones known as “button batteries,” are increasingly becoming a concern, with a significant increase in injuries and fatalities over the past 10 years.

Button Batteries: A Rapidly Growing Threat

In recent years, button batteries have emerged as a particularly dangerous choking hazard. According to the National Safety Council, injuries and fatalities from swallowed button batteries have increased nine-fold in the past decade. Every three hours, a child is treated in an emergency room after swallowing a button battery.

The danger isn’t just from a blocked airway; if a battery becomes lodged in the esophagus, it can cause severe burns and perforation within hours. One of the most dangerous aspects of button batteries is their unpredictability—some pass through the digestive system on their own, while others become stuck and require immediate medical intervention.

Because these batteries are small, shiny, and often found in everyday items like remotes, toys, and greeting cards, they pose a silent but serious risk. Parents should avoid keeping button batteries in the house but, if they must, make sure that they are always well out of reach of children.

What To Do If a Child Swallows a Button Battery

Button batteries are uniquely dangerous due to their chemical and electrical properties. If you think your child may have swallowed a button battery, seek medical attention immediately. Button batteries can become lodged in the esophagus where they can cause chemical burns. It’s important to know that rapid tissue damage can occur in just two hours, so always seek immediate medical care for your child.

What to do if your child swallows a button battery:

Call the 24-hour NCPCC Battery Ingestion Hotline at 800-498-8666 right away.
If possible, identify the battery by checking the packaging or another of the same type of battery.
Get an x-ray immediately to ensure the battery has passed the esophagus; do not wait for symptoms.
Do not give ipecac or any other home remedies.

If the battery is lodged, removal is nearly always done via endoscope; surgery is rarely needed. If the battery passes the esophagus, the child may be monitored at home after the doctor is certain that the battery has moved safely into the stomach. However, parents and caregivers should watch for warning signs, like fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, or blood in stools, and contact a physician right away if any of these appear.

It can take days or even months for the battery to pass completely. Parents should remain in contact with medical professionals to receive ongoing guidance during this time.

Practical Safety Tips for Parents & Caregivers

The risk of choking is real but preventable, and it starts with practical habits that fit your daily life. These simple strategies can drastically reduce risk without adding unnecessary stress on parents and caregivers.

Food Preparation Guidelines

Avoid high-risk foods entirely for children under five when possible.
Cut foods into age-appropriate pieces:
- Cut hot dogs and sausages lengthwise, then into quarters.
- Cut grapes, apples, and raw carrots into small, manageable chunks.
Supervise meals and encourage children to eat slowly without distractions.
Consider safe snacking strategies, such as avoiding foods that require a lot of chewing or that are compressible.

Safe Toy & Household Management

Select age-appropriate toys and check regularly for small, detachable parts.
Store coins, batteries, and other small objects out of reach.
Evaluate second-hand toys to ensure they meet modern safety standards.

Creating Choking-Safe Environments

Establish mealtime routines that minimize distractions.
Teach older siblings to keep small objects off the floor.
Ensure battery compartments are child-resistant on remotes, toys, and electronics.

Emerging Policy & Child Safety Initiatives

While parents and caregivers can take certain steps to prevent choking at home or in school, the responsibility is not only theirs. In fact, efforts to reduce childhood choking hazards have taken shape at both the federal and state levels—but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

In the early 2000s, lawmakers recognized the need for a more organized approach to choking prevention. The proposed Food Choking Prevention Act aimed to create an Office of Choking Hazards within the FDA. Its mission would have been to conduct research, develop guidance, and coordinate public awareness campaigns around choking risks.

Despite bipartisan support, the legislation stalled after multiple introductions in Congress. While the Act didn’t become law, its repeated introduction is evidence of growing concern among policymakers and the importance of continued advocacy.

In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) strengthened labeling requirements for toys and games containing small parts that pose choking hazards. While these rules help reduce toy-related risks, the regulations don’t extend to food-related choking hazards. Aside from warning labels on toys included with food (like Cracker Jacks or Kinder Eggs), there’s little federal guidance on potentially dangerous foods for young children.

Child Safety Is a Shared Responsibility

Preventing choking is not just an individual responsibility; it’s a shared commitment across communities, manufacturers, and lawmakers.

Manufacturers must design safer products and consider child-resistant features. Educators and healthcare providers play a role in raising awareness among parents and caregivers, and lawmakers can enact policies that require clear labeling and safer standards, particularly for high-risk foods and household items.

Parents can also take simple steps to help. Consider contacting your representatives and asking them to support child safety legislation. You can also participate in local safety programs or parent-education workshops. Lastly, encourage your child’s school, daycare center, or local organizations to adopt choking-prevention practices and share resources with families. In these ways, we can all work together to keep our kids safe.

Checklist: 8 Simple Ways to Prevent Childhood Choking

1️⃣ Cut Food Small
Grapes, hot dogs, apples, carrots → cut into quarters and lengthwise!

2️⃣ Skip Risky Snacks
No hard candy, gum, popcorn, nuts, seeds, or big peanut butter chunks.

3️⃣ Watch Mealtime
Sit down, focus, no screens, and supervise every bite.

4️⃣ Lock Up Tiny Objects
Coins, batteries, pen caps → keep them out of reach!

5️⃣ Be “Toy Smart”
No small or detachable parts for kids under 5.

6️⃣ Spot Hidden Hazards
Deflated balloons, broken toys, loose batteries → check often!

7️⃣ Know What To Do
Learn choking first aid and keep the Battery Hotline: 800-498-8666 handy.

8️⃣ Teach Everyone Safe Habits
Older siblings, babysitters, and visitors should keep small items away from little ones.

Simple Steps. Big Impact.

As parents, we can’t help but worry about our children’s safety, but choking prevention should be about empowerment, not fear. And the good news is that simple, everyday steps, from preparing food carefully to keeping small objects and batteries out of reach, can make a real difference in preventing serious accidents.

At Arnold & Itkin, we’re dedicated to helping families spot hidden hazards, as well as advocating for safer products, safer homes, and safer communities. Being informed and prepared can truly save lives, and every parent or caregiver who takes these precautions is making a meaningful impact.

If you’d like to learn more about keeping children safe, or if a defective or unsafe product has caused harm, help is available. We help families understand their rights and, when necessary, take action, all while supporting broader efforts to prevent childhood choking incidents.