Despite our best baby-proofing efforts, some things slip under the parental radar—and many of those things are tiny. We're talking about loose change, pen caps, stickers and confetti. Unfortunately, these “little things” that we have around the house or use as party decorations can be choking hazards that often go unnoticed.
Taylor was having a first birthday party for her daughter when another toddler at the party grabbed some foil confetti and put it in her mouth. Thankfully, Taylor had a Dechoker in her diaper bag and was able to dislodge the confetti that was blocking the little one's airway.
Taylor shared her story with Dechoker:
"I bought this [the Dechoker] as a ‘just in case’, and at my daughter's first birthday, her baby cousin ate some table foil confetti and started to choke! I calmly got it out of the bag and was able to suction out every piece!"
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, choking is one of the leading causes of death among children, especially toddlers age three or younger. It's no secret that kids at this age love to put everything into their mouths. Because a child's windpipe is much narrower than an adult's, the risk of choking is much higher. Toddlers also have less experience and practice controlling the food in their mouths and do not always know to chew food into small enough pieces.
Toddlers especially will explore the world by putting small objects into their mouths. Below is a list of some typical household choking hazards to remember:
Keeping all those little hazards out of the home is a constant challenge, but there's also something we recommend all parents keep in the house: the Dechoker.
No matter how vigilant you are as a parent, the risk of a baby or toddler choking will remain. Our easy-to-use first-aid device can unblock a child's airway quickly in an emergency, when used in conjunction with typical choking first aid. Appropriate for anyone 12-months-old and up, the Dechoker can help you be prepared and offer peace of mind.