SCATTERED gifts, fun new toys, busy parents and crowds of extended family and friends squeezed into a small space is the making of an enjoyable chaotic Christmas.
But this means the festive season is also full of surprising accidents waiting to happen.
GettyParents should remain vigilant and be aware of the main choking hazards[/caption]
Between small pieces of toys and chunks of Christmas dinner, the risk of blocked airways in children is dramatically heightened.
And in the UK, choking kills one child per month and hundreds more require hospital treatment, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has said.
However, if parents remain vigilant and are aware of the main choking hazards, and know what to do if the terrifying situation arises, any Christmas drama can be avoided.
Here, education experts from Skills Training Group take us through the main choking hazards to look out for – including some which might shock you.
The main hazards this Christmas
1. Popcorn
It is recommended, that children do not eat popcorn until they are fully able to chew and swallow properly, at age four or five.
“Popcorn has a shape and texture that is very likely to get caught in the airways, not to mention the lightweight that allows it to be inhaled easily,” the experts explained.
2. Marshmallows
“Marshmallows pose a serious choking hazard for small children,” the Skills Training Group said.
“When mixed with saliva, the consistency of the marshmallow becomes sticky and challenging for a young chewer to swallow,” they added.
3. Boiled sweets
The team advise you keep boiled sweets away from kids as they can easily “become lodged in a child’s airways and will not dissolve quickly or melt as chocolate would.
“This sweet should be avoided completely for young children,” they said.
4. Gummy sweets
“Gummy bears and other jelly-textured chewy sweets can easily be swallowed whole, posing a choking hazard,” they added.
5. Chunks of cheese
Christmas is the time of year when many cheese boards are being passed around to family members, but parents of young children should be wary of this snack.
“Chunks or cubes of cheese can easily become wedged in the back of a child’s throat due to its hard texture,” the education experts explained.
6. Crackers and Rice cakes
Rice cakes and crackers can be quite dangerous for young children due to their coarse texture and dryness.
“Inexperienced chewers will struggle to break down these snacks easily, making them a choking hazard.
“The edges of these two snacks can also become quite sharp and damage the inside of the throat,” the Skills Training Group said.
7. Raw fruit and veg
Baby carrots, whole cherry tomatoes, and grapes are choking hazards for young children due to their size.
The experts suggest parents and cares cut these up these foods into small chunks to avoid choking.
8. Whole or chopped nuts
Parents should also avoid feeding young children whole and chopped nuts.
The experts said the foods require “very thorough chewing” that children of five years and “under cannot yet master”.
9. Dried fruit
“Raisins and other dried fruits can be very sticky and hard to chew for young children,” the experts said.
These should be chopped up small to avoid choking, they added.
10. Sausages
Pigs in blankets are sure to appear at most Christmas dinners this year, but the tough skin and awkward shape pose a serious choking hazard to children.
“Sausages and pigs in blankets should be chopped into small pieces if given to a child under four years old,” the educators explained.
11. Christmas cracker toys
Perhaps, more surprisingly, cracker toys which are often made from small parts can be a choking hazard to young children.
“Child-friendly Christmas crackers can be found online as a safer alternative,” the experts pointed out.
12. Toy packaging
Chunks of polystyrene, plastic and any small parts which are often used in packaging can be a choking hazard to a child.
“Make sure to have a family member do a constant sweep of rubbish when people are opening their presents,” they said.
The main hazards this Christmas
Babies and young children explore the world around them by putting things in their tiny mouths, which puts them at high risk of choking.
What to do if your baby is choking
During the festive break many children stay home from childcare, meaning they are away from those who are paediatric first aid trained, so parents need to be prepared to deal with any potential incidences.
The first thing to note is a baby who’s choking won’t be able to cry, cough or make any noise, as they struggle to breathe.
Here are the three main steps you should do if this happens:
Step 1. Give your baby five back blows
Hold your baby face down, resting them along your thigh with their head lower than their bottom.
Hit them firmly on their back between the shoulder blades up to five times.
If back blows don’t dislodge the object, move on to step two.
Step 2. Give up to five chest thrusts
Turn your baby over so they are facing upwards and place two fingers in the middle of their chest just below the nipples.
Push sharply downwards up to five times.
Step 3. Call 999 if the object does not dislodge
Continue with cycles of back blows and chest thrusts until the blockage clears or help arrives.
These tips follow shocking new statistics that revealed one in ten adults do not know the correct steps to take if their child was choking.
Similarly, 30 per cent of parents believe gagging and coughing are a sign of choking and over half of parents don’t know CPR for children.