Holiday Safety: Top Overlooked Holiday Choking Hazards

Potential choking hazards are often overlooked during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, posing serious risks to infants and young children. From shiny ornaments to bowls of holiday treats left within children’s reach, the holidays are filled with unique safety challenges.

Here are some of the most common holiday choking hazards to watch for and how to respond to a choking incident for small children.

5 Common holiday choking hazards

Taking time to recognize potential risks at home and when visiting others can make all the difference in keeping your entire family safe and your holiday celebrations joyful. Keep an eye out for the following hidden dangers:

1. Small toys and parts

Many toys come with small pieces that can quickly become hazardous for younger children. This might include detachable pieces, buttons, and batteries. But even plush toys, like stuffed animals, can contain small plastic eyes, noses or loose parts that can detach over time.

Ensure all toys are age-appropriate and meet safety standards.

2. Holiday foods

Small food items like nuts, hard candies, popcorn, grapes, and chunks of meat or cheese are choking hazards for young kids. Keep this in mind if snack bowls are easily accessible during holiday gatherings.

3. Ornaments and decorations

Small or easily breakable ornaments, decorative beads and other festive decor can easily be picked up and swallowed by curious children. Ornament hooks also pose a danger if ingested by children or pets.

4. Latex balloons

Deflated or popped balloons are a leading choking hazard for children and can completely block the airway. Always supervise children when balloons are present and dispose of any balloon pieces immediately to prevent accidental ingestion.

5. Button batteries

Button (or disc) batteries are often found in holiday decorations, remote controls, battery-operated toys, and small electronics. In addition to being a choking hazard, a button battery can cause serious injury if swallowed.

Tips for identifying holiday choking hazards

With so many potential choking hazards, it’s crucial to stay vigilant throughout the festive season. Here are some practical tips to help spot and eliminate risks in your home and when visiting family and friends.

• Get down on your child’s eye level. Crawling on the floor allows you to see the world from a child’s perspective. This can help you spot small items that may have fallen under furniture or onto carpets.
• Inspect toys thoroughly. Check for small parts, detachable components, or choking hazard warnings on the packaging before gifting or making the toy available to your child.
• Follow manufacturer age recommendations. Only give age-appropriate toys to reduce the risk of choking.
• Supervise meals and snacks. Ensure children sit down while eating, and cut food into small, manageable pieces. For example, slice grapes lengthwise or cut into quarters depending on age. Move bowls filled with hard candies or nuts out of reach from little kids with wandering hands.
• Inspect the floor frequently. Look for small ornaments or hooks that might have fallen off Christmas trees. Check for small items like beads, broken decorations, or candy wrappers. Remember to search for hazards after holiday parties or unwrapping gifts.
• Secure decorative items. Place holiday ornaments, tinsel, and other small decorations higher on the tree and out of reach of young children.
• Look for hazards when visiting relatives. Quickly identify potential safety hazards when visiting homes that aren’t child-proofed, like coin buckets and jars of marbles. Keep a close eye so you can quickly run interference when needed.
• Educate older siblings. Teach older children to keep their new toys and belongings out of reach of younger family members. Explain what to look for, so they can help monitor surroundings for potential dangers.

By taking preventative steps and staying attentive throughout the holiday season, you can create a safe environment and enjoy the holidays without unnecessary risks.

What to do if your child chokes

Even with the best precautions in place, choking can still occur. Knowing how to respond quickly and effectively can save a life.

If the child can inhale or exhale, encourage them to continue coughing. If they’re unable to speak or cough, follow these steps:

1. Stand behind the child (kneel for a smaller child).
2. Reach around and locate the navel. Make a fist with the other hand and place it thumb-side against the abdomen, just above the navel and below the ribs. Grasp your fist with the other hand.
3. Quickly thrust inward and upward into the abdomen.
4. Continue thrusting until the object is expelled and the child can breathe normally or becomes unresponsive.

If the child becomes unresponsive, call 911 and begin CPR starting with compressions. Before giving rescue breaths, open their mouth wide and remove the object with your fingers if you’re able to see it. Do not blindly stick your fingers in their throat or attempt to sweep it out if you can’t visually see it. This can cause injury or push the object further down the throat.

Choking relief for infants

Infants require a different approach to choking emergencies. If the infant is responsive, follow these steps:

1. Kneel or sit with the infant in your lap. Hold the infant facedown over your forearm with legs straddled and with the head lower than the chest. Support the head by holding the jaw. Rest your forearm on your lap or thigh to support the infant.
2. Using the heel of the other hand, give up to five forceful back slaps between the shoulder blades.
3. Turn the infant over, supporting their head. Place two fingertips on the breastbone just below the nipple line and give up to five chest thrusts.
4. Repeat the sequence of back slaps and chest thrusts until the infant can breathe or becomes unresponsive.

If the infant becomes unresponsive, call 911 and begin CPR starting with compressions. Follow the same procedure for looking in the infant’s mouth. Only attempt to remove the object if you’re able to see it to avoid injury or worsening the obstruction.

Keep the holidays safe

Take a moment this holiday season to evaluate your home for potential hazards and brush up on your first aid skills. By being proactive about identifying risks, taking simple precautions, and learning how to respond in emergencies, you can ensure your family’s holiday celebrations remain safe.

For more resources on choking response and other first aid topics, take a CPR, AED, and First Aid course near you.