What are the non-food choking hazards?
• Latex balloons: Believe it or not, balloons cause more childhood deaths than any other toy. Any substance that can take the shape of a child’s windpipe or airway (like balloons or disposable diaper stuffing) is a more dangerous choking hazard than a hard, solid object. Children ages 3-8 are still at risk for choking on balloons. Choose mylar balloons instead of latex rubber, keep uninflated or broken balloons out of kids’ reach, and supervise children under age eight when they are around balloons. • Small, loose, or broken toys and parts. A small toy or part can easily become lodged in a child’s ear, nose or throat. Children can be seriously injured or killed from inhaling, swallowing or choking on objects such as marbles, small balls, toys, or parts of toys that can be compressed to fit completely into a child’s mouth. • Other hazardous items: Round, oval, cylinder or ball-shaped toys, toy parts or other objects. These are the biggest risk when they are the size of the child’s windp
