Choking Hazards and Children 

If you have a young child, then you may be aware that choking is a serious hazard for young children. They are still learning about the world and often use all 5 senses to discover their world. This can easily turn dangerous if they get their hands on small objects and put them in their mouth. 

Choking hazards come as a result of poorly labeled products, substandard materials, and the production of miniature toys and gadgets not meant for small children. The children with the highest rates of choking are typically under a year old. Anything from small coins and broken pieces of toys can be a choking hazard for young children.

Symptoms of Choking in Children 

Even if your child has injected a choking material, they may still be able to speak, cough, and breathe if their airway is only partially blocked. Here are some of the following symptoms of a partially clocked airway: 

• Inability to talk in complete sentences or full volume
• Coughing
• Unusual breathing sounds such as wheezing or whistling
• Clutching at the throat
• Frantic coughing
• Panic and distress behavior
• Red face
• Watery eyes

In the event that the area becomes completely blocked, the following symptoms can occur:

• Clutching at the throat
• Red-faced at first, turning pale, and then blue due to lack of oxygen
• Panic and distress behavior, including vigorous attempts to breathe
• Unconsciousness and collapse
• Watery eyes

If your child has suffered from a choking-related injury, then it is often in your best interest to contact a choking lawyer. 

Preventing Choking 

In all things, prevention is key. Here are some of the following recommendations to help present the occurrence of choking: 

• Be careful with foods that can be broken down into hard, smaller pieces such as carrots, celery sticks, and apples. These should be grated, cooked, or smashed to avoid being stuck in the throat while eating. 
• Meat should be cut into smaller pieces and the skin should be removed if possible. 
• Be careful with hard candy, popcorn, nuts, and corn chips. 
• Keep toys that have small breakable parts away from your little one.
• Check around the house for any loose or scattered materials that your child may pick up and put in their mouth. This includes coins, pen caps, and parts of broken toys. 

Choking hazard claims are in a specific sub-category of product liability lawsuits. In some states, you will find that the manufacturer of toys and the distributors of these products can be held liable if they do not have the proper warnings on their packages. If your child was hurt because of an improper warning, then you have the right to file a suit for injuries. 

We know choking can be scary, and that is why we suggest finding a choking lawyer like our friends at Davis & Brusca, LLC to help you with your case and to help you get the compensation you rightly deserve.