Choking Hazards…Be careful of….
1) Raw Vegetables – Raw veggies need to be chewed in a grinding motion that kids under the age of four aren’t quite capable of doing. Babies and Toddlers should always be supervised during meal times, but especially if they’ll be dining on uncooked vegetables. Carrots in particular should be cut into small pieces lengthwise, as round slices can easily block little airways.
2) Hot Dogs – In the USA, the leading cause of food-related chocking incidents involving children under the age of three years old is the hot dog. The size and consistency of this children’s favourite food can cause it to stubbornly and completely block airways.
3) Marbles – Marbles are shiny, often colorful and very appealing to babies and toddlers. They also present a significant choking risk, as almost anything that is attractive enough to end up in an inquisitive toddler’s hand finds its way into his or her mouth. If you also look after older siblings, make sure that they keep marbles in their rooms and out of their smaller sister’s or brother’s reach.
4) Coins – Aside from the germ factor, there’s another good reason to keep them out of the reach of children: they’re a serious choking hazard. Keep all loose change out of a baby or toddler’s reach, and again instruct older siblings to do the same.
5) Balloons – When brightly coloured, and filled with helium or even oxygen, a balloon is a source of delight for children of all ages. Should that balloon burst, however, it becomes a very serious choking hazard. The same holds true for whole balloons that haven’t yet been inflated, so make sure that you keep them away from unattended little ones. A balloon to play with is good fun, as long as you’re there to make sure it’s properly discarded if it pops.
6) Doll Accessories – The tiny accessories that come with dolls such as Barbie and Polly Pocket are really popular with older children, but those tiny bits of plastic can be very dangerous if they find their way into a younger sibling’s mouth. Make sure that the older child has both time and the opportunity to play with their favorite toys without the baby’s interference, or watch them as they play rather than completing other chores.
7) Bottle Caps – The shape and hard texture of a bottle cap makes it very dangerous for children to put in their mouths; unfortunately, they also often still taste of the original sugary treat in the bottle which they covered! Because these caps can also be very easy to remove, it’s best to keep them all out of children’s reach.
8) Batteries – Watch out for those remotes! The tiny plates that hold batteries into remote controls and other similar devices can sometimes be easily released – and then it’s a short step from hand to mouth, where they present a very serious choking hazard.
9) Grapes – Sweet and bite-sized grapes may seem like an ideal choice for afternoon snack, but they can be very dangerous if they’re accidentally swallowed whole. Before serving grapes to young children, make sure that you cut them into manageable, easy-to-swallow pieces.
10) Sweets – It’s no secret that children love sugar, which is why sweeties remain a firm favourite. But these treats can also pose a choking hazard, especially if kids are overly excited and physically active while the sweet is in their mouths. Sweets don’t just represent a potential threat to teeth….
In addition to these common choking dangers, nannies and parents are also cautioned to keep mini-blind cords, curtain pulls and other dangling strings away from cribs and out of babies’ reach, as they can easily become strangling hazards.
If you would be interested in finding out about First Aid Courses for your Nanny, here are details of 2 different people running Ofsted compliant courses
Safe and Sound
www.safeandsound.uk.net
Tel: 020 8445 8998 (Speak to Roma, Tina or Shelley)
Email: info@safeandsound.uk.net
Places can be booked through their website, and payment can be made by telephone using a debit or credit card.
• First aid for schools is run by Kitty Sullivan, and courses are held either in East Finchley, or any London area of your choice.
www.firstaidforschools.com
Tel : 020 8883 9613
Email: admin@firstaidforschools.com
All Trainers are qualified medics, with at least three years first aid training experience.
Kitty is also a lecturer in Child Development, and regularly writes features for the press including a column for Montessori International, First News National Children’s Newspaper, London Baby Magazine and Baby & Me. She is therefore, up-to-date with stages of development, and accidents which are most likely to occur at these stages.
The courses therefore focus not only on how to treat an injury, but what is most likely to happen, and importantly, how to prevent it. She is the pioneer behind the UK National Choking Awareness Campaign.
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I look forward to speaking to you soon,
Norma Lewis
Norma Lewis Nannies
www.normalewisnannies.co.uk