Not all foods are suitable for young children. In the United States, one of the leading causes of unintentional death for children under the age of 5 is choking. In addition to certain foods being choking hazards, some foods can also cause internal damage because the undeveloped systems of young children cannot process them. A great deal of caution should be exercised when selecting foods to give children.
Some of the most hazardous foods for children are found in this list:
Honey- Honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism (poisoning caused by toxins). The intestinal tract of adults can prevent the growth of the spores but for a baby, the spores may grow and produce toxins that are life threatening.
Soy Milk/Cow’s Milk- For children under the age of 1, it’s best that they drink breast milk or formula. Babies aren’t able to digest the protein found in soy or cow milk for at least the first year of their lives. In addition, these forms of milk don’t have the adequate nutrients a baby needs and contain minerals in amounts that could cause damage to their kidneys.
Chunky foods-Vegetable foods like green beans, carrots and celery should always be cooked and cut up or shredded. A piece of food larger than a pea can get stuck in the throat of a child. Fruits like grapes, melon balls, and cherry tomatoes should be cut into pea-sized pieces. Meats and cheeses should be shredded or cut into very small pieces.
Hard, small foods- Popcorn, hard candies, cough drops and nuts are all potential choking hazards. Seeds are generally too small to choke on, but they can get stuck in the airway of a child and cause infection.
Sticky, soft foods- Beware of foods like marshmallows and gummy or jelly candies. These foods run the risk of getting lodged in a child’s throat.
Peanut butter- Peanut butter and other nut butters have a sticky consistency that can make it difficult to swallow for a young child.
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