The 24 surprising choking hazards in your home that are as dangerous as button batteries

AS a parent, chances are you give careful thought to the foods you feed your kids.

But as your little ones explore the world around them, it's quite likely they'll do so by putting things in their mouth.

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Sometimes these objects are small enough that your child will swallow them, putting them at risk of choking.

And often, it won't even have occurred to you that these items could put them at risk.

"We often share reminders about chopping the grapes, and the dangers of button batteries," the team of paediatric nurses behind - a baby and first aid education page - wrote in a recent .

"But the truth is, there are a lot of things around the home that may not occur to parents and carers as potential choking hazards for little ones," they said.

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The medics listed a whopping 24 items and foods you probably have in your home that could put your child at risk of choking.

Many of these might not have occurred to you, or you might have missed them as they're tucked away in corners you can't usually see.

1. ear plugs - "these pop up everywhere," CPR Kids said
2. bread clips
3. bottle caps
4. small magnets
5. coins
6. rocks and pebbles
7. gum and mints
8. hair clips
9. jewellery
10. spoonfuls of nut paste
11. pet food - especially dry dog food
12. kids toys, like small pieces of Lego
13. doll accessories
14. buttons
15. sausages and hot dogs - "cut them into quarters," CPR Kids said
16. marshmallows - you should tear into tiny pieces
17. popcorn - avoid until your tot is five
18. whole nuts - don't give to your child until they're five
19. raw apple and carrot - cut these into stick shapes
20. erasers
21. marbles
22. bouncy balls
23. beads
24. balloons

When it comes to preventing your little one from choking, there are four words you need to keep in mind.

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These are the four S's of choking prevention, according to CPR Kids.

1. Shape of foods

It's important to think about what kind of size and shape of food your tot can eat comfortably.

";Cutting up foods into developmentally appropriate size shapes is key to prevent choking," CPR Kids wrote.

"Round foods such as grapes, cherry tomatoes and large blueberries are the perfect shape to lodge in a toddler’s airway and should be cut into quarters, and cylindrical foods such as bananas, sausages and carrots cut into sticks," they added.

You should avoid foods such as popcorn, marshmallows, hard sweets and whole nuts in young children.

2. Sit down to eat

According to the nurses, the risk of choking increases if a child is running around with food or another object in their mouth.

Sitting down together to eat meals is a seemingly simple solution but it not only reduces the risk of choking, it's great for bonding too.

Even snack time applied to this rule.

"Encourage your toddler to sit down when snacking too (we now, easier said than done right?)," the medics wrote.

3. Supervise when eating

Turning for your back for a few moments or popping into another room quickly can put your child at risk of choking.

You might think you'd hear if something was happening, but "choking can be silent," CPR Kids emphasised.

"Always keep them in your direct line of sight when they are eating so you can be aware and intervene quickly if a choking accident occurs," they advised.

4. Search your home

First aiders have previously shared a nifty trick for being able to tell if an object or food item poses a choking risk to your kid, which surprisingly involves a toilet roll.

"Anything that can fit through a cardboard toilet paper tube is a choking risk for young children," CPR Kids wrote.

They also advised you get "get down onto your hands and knees and crawl around your house" to look for stray items you might have missed.

"This will give you a better perspective as to what your child sees [and] what small items are in reach," they explained.

But the medics emphasised: "Most importantly, remember that accidents can still happen – know the first aid for choking so you can confidently help your child in an emergency."

What to do if your child chokes

It’s every parent's worst nightmare to imagine a situation in which they have to save their child from choking.

But in that moment, you need to be able to step up and perform first aid.

The NHS says if you can see an object lodged in your child’s mouth, take care to remove it because blindly poking at it could make things worse.

If the child is coughing, encourage them to continue as they may be able to bring the object up - don't leave them.

If the coughing isn’t effective (it is silent or they cannot breathe properly), shout for help immediately.

If the child is still conscious, use back blows. 

First aiders at St John Ambulance give the following advice based on the child’s age.

Baby

1. Slap it out:

• Lay the baby face down along your thigh and support their head  
• Give five back blows between their shoulder blades  
• Turn them over and check their mouth each time  

2. Squeeze it out:

• Turn the baby over, face upwards, supported along your thigh 
• Put two fingers in the centre of their chest just below the nipple line; push downwards to give up to five sharp chest thrusts 
• Check the mouth each time  

3. If the item does not dislodge, call 999 or 112 for emergency help  

• Take the baby with you to call  
• Repeat the steps 1 and 2 until help arrives 
• Start CPR if the baby becomes unresponsive (unconscious)  

Child

1. Cough it out  

• Encourage the casualty to keep coughing, if they can 

2. Slap it out  

• Lean them forwards, supporting them with one hand 
• Give five sharp back blows between the shoulder blades 
• Check their mouth each time but do not put your fingers in their mouth  

3. Squeeze it out  

• Stand behind them with your arms around their waist, with one clenched fist between their belly button and the bottom of their chest 
• Grasp the fist in the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, giving up to five abdominal thrusts 
• Check their mouth each time  

4. Call 999 for emergency help if the object does not dislodge  

• Repeat steps 2 and 3 until help arrives 
• Start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive (unconscious) 

5. Always seek medical advice if abdominal thrusts are used 

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All kids are at risk of choking - especially those under the age of three.