Safer Child Products

January 24, 2011

It’s so exciting to see young children take the next step during mealtime to eat table food.  Just because they have little or no teeth does not mean you should limit their diet.  Children between 9 mos. and 1 year often start eating chicken or meat.  They may be eager to try new textures and sample what the adult at the table is eating, but be sure to cut the foods into pea-sized pieces to avoid choking.

A common mistake is to slice foods the short way, often leaving food such as hot dogs, carrots or grapes just the size to block a child’s windpipe.  Be sure to cut food lengthwise and supervise mealtime. Firm foods like carrots and celery that a child can hold and bite are not the best choice, as they can bite off too big a chunk. Soft food like fruit cocktail may be a better choice than firm fruits and vegetables, but you can always cook the vegetables first to soften.

Some other foods that are likely to cause choking are nuts, pretzels, popcorn, hard candies, cough drops and even raisins!  Sticky and gloppy foods are not recommended for young children either, so avoid bubblegum, marshmallows, toffee as well as big globs of peanut butter that can get lodged in the throat.

Follow the link below for more details on unsafe foods for toddlers.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_foods-that-can-be-unsafe-for-your-toddler_1491465.bc