Most sources agree one common food presents the worst choking hazard of all. And it’s especially dangerous for kids. That’s not to say this red-flag food is any less dangerous for adults with poor or careless eating habits…
The Mayo Clinic-approved procedure for saving someone from choking…
Before I reveal what the self-appointed experts agree is the worst choking hazard among foods… What’s your best guess?
It should be easy if you have kids and your family physician or a fussy grandma has already warned you about it. No?
One more hint…
Near the end of the 1989 modern classic sports-fantasy film Field of Dreams, lead character Ray Kinsella’s daughter Karin almost chokes to death on this food after falling off the top row on seats on some bleachers. Dr. Archibald ‘Moonlight’ Graham saves Karin using the old school method: two gentle blows on the back to dislodge the blockage. Alas, Doc gives up his gift of eternal youth on the magic ball diamond when he steps out of the infield to ‘treat’ the kid.
C’mon you millennials and Xers! It’s a true classic! Everybody else knows! Okay. I’ll spare you further suspense. It’s… A hot dog.
The perfect choking storm
“If you were to design a perfect plug for a child’s airway you couldn’t do much better than a hot dog,” says Aussie paramedic and CEO of Tiny Hearts Education, Nikki Jurcutz, in a video about the potential danger of feeding young children Hot Dogs.
Common hot dogs Jurcutz says – and most other experts I consulted agree – cause more choking deaths overall than any other food.
Hot Dogs have the perfect shape size of cross section to plug your main airway. An estimated 141.746 billion standard Dogs are consumed every year, worldwide, upping the odds you’ll choke on a Dog rather something more exotic like a lump of caviar or a bite of Wagyu steak.
And studies show that, as more folks are in a greater hurry to get more places and do more things today than ever before, they’re more likely to fail to observe the universal chewing standard. Remember what your mom taught? Chew all solids at least 10 times before attempting to swallow them. Anyway, kids who may not yet have the rule ingrained and adult ‘gobblers’ may find themselves goggle-eyed and breathless on any given mouthful.
A simple way to avoid the danger
It may sound like common sense than an epiphany to older folks like me (and many of you). But Jurcutz points out there’s a simple way to,“minimise the risk just by changing the way you prep the food.”
DO cut dogs lengthwise before bunning-up. Other advantages to this method include easier dressing and stuffing. Perfect for Chili Dogs and other popular Dog styles!
DON’T cut Dogs across their circumference, making ‘coins’ or those chunks folks traditionally toss into a Beany-Weenie. You’re just producing an even better shape for plugging someone’s windpipe.
My take
Sounds like the way to go. Toddlers and gobblers will be saved from their own ignorance or carelessness.
But I wish Jurcutz had also warned of the dangers of other foods that can choke you. There’s a substantial of list of other common munchies that can lodge in your airway Including:
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grapes (and for babies, uncooked raisins)
- Popcorn
- Pieces of raw veggies or hard raw fruits
- Hard candies
- Gum
- Chunks of meat and cheese
- Chunks of peanut butter
Consult Whattoexpect.com for suggestions on minimizing the choking risks associated with all of the above…
~ Maggie J.