🌭From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs. BUT…It’s also the #1 food-related cause of choking in kids under the age of 3.*😳
👉🏼In just ten seconds, you can save a life by cutting up the dog into small pieces. Not coins! Go smaller. Here’s why:
🪙Hot dogs cut into coin-shapes will lodge easily in your child’s airway.
🌭Hot dogs can expand with moisture and act as the perfect plug in your child’s airway. Kids who choke on hot dogs often inhale the pieces into their lungs, risking serious complications.
👉🏼Although the data focuses on kids three and under, I recommend cutting up dogs into chopped, pea-sized bites for kids ages 4 and under. Kids come in all sizes, but one thing they have in common is narrow little airways.
👉🏼Plus, kids don’t pay the best attention to what they are eating and are still learning to manage a variety of foods in a safe manner. So, in my line of work, I prefer to be very cautious rather than risk a choking incident. I don`t even offer strips - if it`s the #1 food-related cause of choking, I am uber-careful.
🤞🏻But your child seems to do ok with a full-size dog? I understand that feeling – I do! We are excited when our kids gain independence and seem to be able to manage more “grown-up” foods. But it only takes one time for a child to choke, and not being able to breath is not only
dangerous and life-threatening, it’s frightening and traumatic, even if the food becomes dislodged and the child can breathe again.
👉🏼Learn life saving techniques, keep an eye on kids when they are eating, and enjoy some hot dogs. Just be safe. I share this because as a pediatric feeding specialist, I see kids every year who have choked on hot dogs, grapes and hard candies.
💕So, thanks for letting me have a very serious conversation about this. It’s a big weekend for hot dogs, brats and BBQ, and I want everyone to have a fun and safe holiday.
Take a CPR/Safety course on my my course library 👉🏼 mymunchbug.com/course-library/ or via link in my profile. It’s quick, on-demand and life-saving!
#melaniepotock
*Source: National Hot Dog Sausage Council and American Academy of Pediatrics