Child Choking Hazards
The toy and childcare product business is a massive industry, and a competitive one in which manufacturers are pressured to put out new and better products quickly for seasonal purchases. While many regulations are in place regarding the design, construction, and proper labeling of these products, it is not uncommon for a mistake to be made which allows a product to be released which poses a choking hazard to young children.
Without swift and decisive action choking incidents can lead to serious injury and death, all due to poor oversight by a toy maker. If your child has been harmed, we can help you to pursue appropriate financial compensation through a civil lawsuit. The committed and compassionate Illinois choking hazard attorneys of Spiros Law can provide you the guidance you need through your case.
Common Choking Hazards
Many products can pose a choking hazard. A hazard only becomes a serious problem when a manufacturer fails to properly label the product for the correct age group or neglects to warn parents about small or detachable parts that could be swallowed. Common choking hazards include:
- Removable or Breakable Parts: Small pieces that can easily come off toys or household items.
- Small Spherical Objects: Items like marbles that fit easily in a child’s mouth.
- Balloons: Uninflated or underinflated balloons can block a child’s airway.
- Plastic Bags and Packaging Materials: Thin materials that can cover the mouth or nose.
- Button Batteries: Extremely dangerous if swallowed. They can cause chemical burns, internal organ damage, or perforation in the throat or esophagus. These injuries are time-critical.
- High-Powered Magnets (Neodymium): Swallowing multiple small magnets can make them attract each other across intestinal walls, leading to blockages, perforations, and severe internal injuries. This is a common cause of litigation.
- Car Seat, Crib, or High Chair Components: Foam padding or plastic pieces from defective childcare products can break off and create a choking risk.
- Expanding Water Beads or Polymers: Small beads that swell up to 100 times their size if swallowed, causing painful and potentially life-threatening intestinal blockages.
- Strangulation or Asphyxiation Risks: While technically different from choking, long cords on toys, clothing, or defective safety devices (like baby slings or carriers that position a child’s head dangerously) can block the airway and are often searched alongside choking hazards.
Parents need to be aware of these risks, especially when a product fails to provide proper safety labeling or warnings. Taking prompt action can prevent serious injury or even save a child’s life.
Emergency First Aid for a Choking Child or Infant
The first step in any choking emergency is to confirm the child is truly choking. If the child is coughing forcefully, crying, or able to speak, let them continue. Coughing is often the most effective way to clear the airway. Only intervene if the child cannot cough, cry, or breathe properly.
1. Call for Help
- If someone else is present, have them call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
- If you are alone, perform the first aid steps for about 2 minutes before pausing to call 911.
2. First Aid for a Choking Child (Age 1 to Puberty)
Use the “5 and 5” method, alternating back blows and abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver).
Five Back Blows
- Stand or kneel slightly behind the child.
- Place one arm diagonally across the child’s chest and bend them forward at the waist.
- Use the heel of your free hand to strike five times firmly between the shoulder blades.
Five Abdominal Thrusts (Heimlich Maneuver)
- Move behind the child. Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side just above the navel.
- Cover your fist with the other hand.
- Give five quick, upward and inward thrusts into the abdomen. Use gentler force than you would on an adult.
Repeat
Continue alternating five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled, the child can breathe, or the child becomes unresponsive.
3. First Aid for a Choking Infant (Under Age 1)
Do not use abdominal thrusts on infants. Use back blows and chest thrusts instead.
Five Back Blows
- Sit and hold the infant face-down on your forearm, resting your arm on your thigh.
- Keep the infant’s head lower than their chest and support the head and neck.
- Strike five times firmly between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Five Chest Thrusts
- Turn the infant face-up on your other forearm, keeping the head lower than the chest.
- Place two fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line.
- Give five quick, firm thrusts, pressing about 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches deep.
Repeat
Continue alternating back blows and chest thrusts until the object is expelled, the infant can breathe or cry, or the infant becomes unresponsive.
If the Child or Infant Becomes Unresponsive
- Call 911 if you have not already done so.
- Lay the child or infant on a firm, flat surface.
- Begin CPR, starting with chest compressions. Always check the mouth for the object before giving rescue breaths. Only remove the object if it is clearly visible.
Important Note: This guide provides basic emergency steps and is not a substitute for certified first aid training. Caregivers should seek formal training from organizations such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
Helpful Video Tutorials on Child Choking Safety
Choking Infant (Under 1 Year Old)
- How to Save a Choking Baby (2:44), British Red Cross
- What to Do When an Infant is Choking (Unresponsive) (0:41), American Red Cross
Choking Child (Over 1 Year Old)
- How to Help a Choking Child (1:12), British Red Cross
- Children First Aid: Choking Child part 2 (Abdominal Thrusts) (0:25), British Red Cross
Disclaimer: These videos are for informational purposes only. The best way to be prepared for an emergency is to take a full, certified, hands-on First Aid and CPR course.
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If your child has suffered an injury due to a dangerous or mislabeled toy or product, you are likely entitled to seek compensation for medical expenses and other damages. And, we’re here to help!
Offering a free case evaluation, our Spiros Law is available to assist you with three offices—Kankakee, Danville and Champaign, IL. we have a team near you ready to help. Don’t wait—complete our online form, chat live, or call our offices 24/7 by message and we will work for you to get results!
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