My two-year old loves jellybeans. However, I’m afraid they may be a choking hazard, although I can’t find much information about that, google-wise.
But in general, why are small food objects like jellybeans or peanuts considered choking hazards for small children but not older children or adults?
I understand that small children are more likely to put non-food objects in their mouths, so I’m not asking about that.
It seems to me that the danger is inhaling the object into your trachea (is that correct?). From my rudimentry physiology knowledge, I’m thinking that the trachea gets narrower along it’s length, so I don’t think the reasoning is due to their trachea being narrower than mine, is it? I mean, isn’t there some point where mine is as narrow as theirs, and the jellybean could get stuck “lower” in me but be stuck just the same?
Is there something that just makes it more likely that a kid could inhale/aspirate a small object? E.g. they’re just not as good as me at the whole “food->esophagus, air->trachea” thing?
I think it’s mostly that toddlers are still learning how to chew and swallow and talk and gesture and run and they often do two or more in a combination that doesn’t work out so well.
Jelly beans are on just about every list of choking hazards I’ve ever seen. That’s not to say that she can never have them, but I’d break them into three or four pieces, myself, and watch her carefully, making sure she’s sitting down while she’s eating.
I agree with **butler1850 **about the shapes, thing. It seems a smooth, round object (a slice of hotdog, a grape, a cherry tomato, a jelly bean) could more easily roll or slide to the back of her mouth too suddenly. I slice round things into wedges or half-moons to reduce this risk.
The molars (back teeth) are used for grinding and mashing foods. Children don’t start getting their molars until they are somewhere between 12 and 18 months of age, and it may take a further two years or more until all the molars are through and the child is fully proficient at chewing. This means they are vulnerable to choking on hard foods, such as raw carrot, chunks of apple, lollies, popcorn or peanuts. Suggestions to prevent choking include:
*Hard foods should be cooked, mashed, grated or avoided altogether.
Cut meat into small, manageable pieces for your child, and remove tough skins from sausages and frankfurters.
Cut food lengthwise to make it narrower.
Supervise your child while they are eating.
Explain to your child the importance of eating food quietly and while sitting down.
Don’t try to feed them if they are laughing or crying. *
Appropos of nothing but as a nervous parent FWIW to you: My son choked for too scarily long on an icecube that came in a cafe at that age (and coughed it up)