Top Tips - How to prevent choking in children?

STAY – Stay with children when they are eating – it is the biggest thing you can do for them

STILL – Get children to sit still – it can be a battle, but it is much safer

CUT UP - foods that are round, hard, chunky, doughy, or stodgy

• Sausages or hot dogs – cut into short, narrow strips lengthways as thin as possible. Removing the skin makes them easier to swallow
• Meat – cut into strips and remove any bones, skin, or fat
• Fruit – check for pips or stones and remove them
• Round fruit (grapes, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and cherry tomatoes) – cut lengthways and then into quarters
• Vegetables and larger fruit (melon, apple, mango, carrot, and cucumber) – cut into thin strips, grate or mash, steam, or simmer
• Legumes (chickpeas and butter beans) – mash or steam to soften them
• Nuts and seeds – chop or flake (Whole nuts should not be given to under 5’s)
• Cheese – cut into narrow batons or strips
• Bread - Cut all types of bread into narrow strips. White bread can form a doughy ball, so brown or toasted bread is a good option
• Remove skin from fruits or vegetables to make them easier to swallow.

AVOID these foods – for babies and young children

• Popcorn
• Marshmallows
• Round Hard Sweets – including lollipops
• Mini-Eggs
• Jelly cubes
• Peanut butter (but ok to use as a spread)
• Whole grapes

If you are a parent or carer, we hope you will find the web links below useful...