Choking Dangers

An important warning today for parents with young children. Choking remains a leading cause of injury in kids, especially those 4 years of age and younger. Researchers analyzed data from emergency rooms across the country? looking specifically at visits that involved non-fatal choking on food from 2001 to 2009. An average of 12,435 children 14 and under were treated for this type of emergency on an annual basis that’s 34 kids every day. Candy caused the most concern…with hard candy representing over 15-percent of all choking episodes. Another 13-percent could be blamed on other candy.12-percent of choking was caused by meat and 12-percent by bones.Boys represented more than half of the cases and children under four were at greatest risk.The researchers are calling for warning labels on foods that pose a high choking risk and national education campaigns to help keep choking dangers in the spotlight and out of the E.R. I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the news that can keep you and your loved ones safe, healthy, and happy.