How old are the children

You may have heard of the news of a two year old child who died from choking on popcorn that occurred in the United States. The reason is, the size of the popcorn that is not that big can actually cause unexpected calamities. So, can children actually eat popcorn or not? Approximately how old can children eat popcorn? Find out the answer below.

When can children eat popcorn?

Small but moderately hard foods such as popcorn, hard candy, seeds, and nuts should not be offered to children before they are at least four or five years old. The reason is, food like this can make children choke.

Even if you want to give the food when the child is old enough, make sure that parents or caregivers really monitor it. There are usually hard, unbibble kernels on the ends of the popcorn. So, make sure this part does not enter the child's mouth. Teach children to chop non-swallowable corn kernels or other foods.

What happens when a child chokes?

Children under five years of age (toddlers) are the group most at risk of choking. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in the US, choking is one of the most common causes of death for children under five.

When a child chokes, it means that an object is covering the trachea (airway) so that air does not flow normally into or out of the lungs. This condition makes the child unable to breathe smoothly. The trachea is usually protected by a small cartilage valve, the epiglottis. The epiglottis closes the trachea every time a person swallows. This allows food to eventually pass through the esophagus and not into the trachea.

Infants and young children have smaller airways and are more prone to choking on popcorn when compared to adults. The risk of choking depends on the size, shape, or texture of the food. Foods that are round, hard, hard to chew, or slippery will easily slide down your throat and block your airway.

If not treated immediately, this can make the child unable to breathe and may eventually lead to death.

How to prevent children from choking

Actually, children can not choke because they just eat popcorn. Other foods or objects that your child puts in his mouth can also increase the chances of choking. So, here are some things parents can do to prevent choking.

Never leave young children unsupervised while eating, there must be direct supervision
Children should sit up straight while eating, must have sufficient numbers of teeth, and the muscle and developmental abilities needed to chew and swallow selected foods
Remember, not all children are at the same developmental stage, children with special care needs are particularly vulnerable to the risk of choking.
Children should have quiet meal times and not be rushed, including snack times.
Avoid foods that pose a choking risk that are hard, and small, such as raw carrots, nuts, popcorn, grapes, etc.
Cut the food into small pieces, removing the seeds or thorns if they are on the food.
Do not allow children to chew food while playing, walking, or driving
Parents and child caregivers should have basic first aid techniques such as performing CPR, Heimlich Maneuver, or Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to take care if a child experiences choking, can be treated immediately and write down important telephone numbers for help.

Signs of choking and needs immediate help

The child cannot breathe
Gasping child
The child becomes unable to speak, but only cries
Turns blue
Looking panicked
Limp then passed out

What to do if your child chokes?

1. Take the object or food

If you can still see the object that is blocking the airway, try to remove it. However, don't get pushed in and don't repeatedly insert your finger. In fact, you can make things worse by making the object more difficult to lift.

2. Ask the child to cough

If the child becomes coughing, so be it. Encourage them to cough and cough and don't leave the child alone without parental supervision.

3. Get help

If your child's cough is ineffective (uncomfortable or unable to breathe properly when coughing), seek medical help immediately or take the child to the nearest health service. However, when taking your child to the hospital, be careful not to shake the child so that the choking will get worse.