Choking hazards to watch for

Anything smaller than the diameter of a toilet paper roll is a choking hazard for babies and toddlers. The classic culprits: coins, small toy parts, balloons (a leading cause of choking deaths), button batteries, magnets, and jewelry. Common food shapes to avoid or modify under age 4: whole grapes and cherry tomatoes (quarter lengthwise), hot dogs (slice lengthwise then chop), nuts (skip or use as butter), popcorn, hard candy, chunks of raw carrot or apple (grate or shred), marshmallows, and globs of nut butter (thin with milk). Take an infant/child CPR class. Every parent should. Knowing back blows and chest thrusts vs the Heimlich for different ages, and how to differentiate gagging (fine — let them clear it) from choking (silent, needs intervention) is priceless.