Choking warning urged for food labels

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Then I guess the American academy of pediatrics is wrong.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/22/children.choking/index.html?iref=allsearch

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates at least one child in the United States dies every five days from choking on food. The academy rates choking as the leading cause of death among children 14 and younger.

They are a little hard pressed to make that claim in an article that also includes the following statement:

There is no centralized system for collecting data on child death and injury from choking on food.

Smith and the American Academy of Pediatrics want to see that change. Smith said he believes it's important to start a central database that includes those kinds of statistics

Right now--there is no factual statistic to back up that claim--but there are for MVA and drownings.

And don't get me started on the AAP--they refuse and ignore a potential life saving skill for children to help reduce the risk fo drowning b/c they believe "babies can't swim". They don't condone any type of water survival class for infants.

But yet--babies can learn to find their float and their air and to buy themselves time so that someone can find them in the body of water.

But they refuse to ever endorse it. Why, you might ask? It has nothing to do with babies lacking ability beginning at around age 6 months...

it's actually b/c they are afraid that parents will take it upon themselves to "teach" their babies--which will of course not work and then parents will falsely rely on that and that could lead to more drowning deaths.

Very sad.

Warnings on toy products occur b/c parents are not aware just by looking at packaging if there are tiny parts that a little one can place in their mouth.

My child isn't going to accidentally rip open a hot dog package and mom isn't going to be unaware that it contains a hot dog.

It would be much better to require all grocery chains and eating establishments and vending machines to post this warning:

Warning--contents in this store may pose a choking hazard to anyone and everyone who consumes it.

B/c after all--it is true.

 

[luvsJack]

That's silly.

Anything you put in your mouth is a choking hazard.

Unless this woman birthed in the bushes as a nomad and had no prenatal or postnatal care and her child NEVER saw a pediatrician--there simply isn't an excuse.

A hot dog is not a choking hazard just because "anything" can be. Its a choking hazard for a particular reason--its size and shape. If it was smaller in circumfrence or a different shape it wouldn't be quite so bad. Yes, anything can be choked on. But, a hot dog, a grape or a coin is just the right size and shape to completely seal off the air way. That is why it SHOULD be labeled, because it has a particular danger, its something that cannot always be brought up by the heimlech.

By your rational we should only feed children a liquid diet. Anything can be choked on but only some things are considered a "choking hazard". And not all pediatricians go over these things with parents.

When I was in child care, we sent home lists of food items that were not allowed in the center. You would be surprised at the parents that said, "but they have always eaten it" , when I stopped and explained the particualr danger, they realized how bad it was and stopped letting their child have the food. Many, many parents that had more than one child; had read baby books and had regularly seen their pediatrician did not know the things on our list were dangerous.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Then I guess the American academy of pediatrics is wrong.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/22/children.choking/index.html?iref=allsearch

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates at least one child in the United States dies every five days from choking on food. The academy rates choking as the leading cause of death among children 14 and younger.

Yes, if this is really what they say, they are wrong. My bet is that CNN got it wrong in an effort to further sensationalize this story.

If only one child dies every 5 days, they are wrong. Very, very wrong. Do the math yourself. I have pulled up many charts and most show about 15,000 deaths of children 14 and younger per year. 365 days / 5 = 73 deaths by choking per year. That accounts for less that one half of one percent of the deaths.

You think it is #1?

 

[monkeybug]

I guess I just feel like education (even in the form of a label) never hurts anyone, but a lack of education can be very dangerous indeed.
No, not everyone reads labels. Most of us only read them if we have a reason to, or are bored while cooking or eating (I think my brothers and I read every. single. word. on most of our cereal boxes, because the last thing we wanted to do was talk to each other that early in the morning)
Not everyone knows that hot dogs are a choking hazard, jut like not everyone knows what trans fats are (or how to find them in a list of ingredients). Not everyone knows you shouldn't give honey to an infant (so it's on the label). Why should we not at least attempt to educate them? Isn't the job of agency's like the American Academy of Pediatrics to try and educate the public, and reduce childhood death/illness. I'm glad they are focusing on choking right now, and I hope if nothing else the argument and media attention will make people more aware of the potential danger.

 

[PeterPan09]

They are a little hard pressed to make that claim in an article that also includes the following statement:



Right now--there is no factual statistic to back up that claim--but there are for MVA and drownings.

And don't get me started on the AAP--they refuse and ignore a potential life saving skill for children to help reduce the risk fo drowning b/c they believe "babies can't swim". They don't condone any type of water survival class for infants.

But yet--babies can learn to find their float and their air and to buy themselves time so that someone can find them in the body of water.

But they refuse to ever endorse it. Why, you might ask? It has nothing to do with babies lacking ability beginning at around age 6 months...

it's actually b/c they are afraid that parents will take it upon themselves to "teach" their babies--which will of course not work and then parents will falsely rely on that and that could lead to more drowning deaths.

Very sad.

Warnings on toy products occur b/c parents are not aware just by looking at packaging if there are tiny parts that a little one can place in their mouth.

My child isn't going to accidentally rip open a hot dog package and mom isn't going to be unaware that it contains a hot dog.

It would be much better to require all grocery chains and eating establishments and vending machines to post this warning:

Warning--contents in this store may pose a choking hazard to anyone and everyone who consumes it.

B/c after all--it is true.

and the water company needs to put a warning on the faucet too..you can choke on a really small amount of water too..oh, and you can also choke on your own spit....

Take this "we must warn" syndrome to it's logical conclusion and you see how crazy it becomes.

A child is dead and there has to be someone at fault. We don't want to blame obviously grieving parents, so we come up with a "villian"-the hot dog package did not have a proper warning!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

By your rational we should only feed children a liquid diet. Anything can be choked on but only some things are considered a "choking hazard". And not all pediatricians go over these things with parents.

Actually--by my rational--everyone in the world should be on a liquid diet..only, one can choke also choke on liquid.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, if this is really what they say, they are wrong. My bet is that CNN got it wrong in an effort to further sensationalize this story.

If only one child dies every 5 days, they are wrong. Very, very wrong. Do the math yourself. I have pulled up many charts and most show about 15,000 deaths of children 14 and younger per year. 365 days / 5 = 73 deaths by choking per year. That accounts for less that one half of one percent of the deaths.

You think it is #1?

Same article also claims no central database, so there is no actual tracking of this for them to be able to confidently make the claim.

 

[PeterPan09]

I guess I just feel like education (even in the form of a label) never hurts anyone, but a lack of education can be very dangerous indeed.
No, not everyone reads labels. Most of us only read them if we have a reason to, or are bored while cooking or eating (I think my brothers and I read every. single. word. on most of our cereal boxes, because the last thing we wanted to do was talk to each other that early in the morning)
Not everyone knows that hot dogs are a choking hazard, jut like not everyone knows what trans fats are (or how to find them in a list of ingredients). Not everyone knows you shouldn't give honey to an infant (so it's on the label). Why should we not at least attempt to educate them? Isn't the job of agency's like the American Academy of Pediatrics to try and educate the public, and reduce childhood death/illness. I'm glad they are focusing on choking right now, and I hope if nothing else the argument and media attention will make people more aware of the potential danger.

But again...where does it end? Do you really want every product to come with a catalog of warnings against every possible disaster?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

and the water company needs to put a warning on the faucet too..you can choke on a really small amount of water too..oh, and you can also choke on your own spit....

Take this "we must warn" syndrome to it's logical conclusion and you see how crazy it becomes.

A child is dead and there has to be someone at fault. We don't want to blame obviously grieving parents, so we come up with a "villian"-the hot dog package did not have a proper warning!!!

And in this case--I am HIGHLY DOUBTFUL this mom would have even noticed let alone heeded a warning printed microscopically on a hot dog package.

 

[luvsJack]

I would like to ask why some of you think it is so bad to just put the label on the food? Why? Why do you even care?

And would you have the same issue with constant literature going home with kids from child care, from the dr.'s office, and from the hospital telling what are choking hazards and why? If you don't then why do you care about a label?

Parents need to be constantly educated about common things being a danger to their child. And any little thing that can jar their memory or thier knowledge about things is that much better.

Why do any of you have such an issue with someone trying to save the life of a child??


No everything cannot be labeled. But why does that mean we should label nothing?

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

You all do realize that people are becoming new parents every day. Some of these new parents have never been baby sitters or cared for a child; how would they know that a hot dog is a choking hazard. Besides there are millions of people that use that tired old saying, "well, i did it when i was a kid and look at me!"

The warning should have been put on the label a long, long time ago.

If a label saves the life of one child, don't you think its worth your "aggravation" of seeing another label??

When my older son ended up in the hospital due to choking on a small piece of peanut (it went into his right bronchial tube and had to be removed), the surgeron told us some other food items to keep away from young kids are popcorn and gum, which many kids are given. If my child had choked on gum, chances are he would not have made it to the hospital.

Many things can be a choking hazard for children and children don't come with labels. Its not about being able to sue someone, its about the safety of a child.

very well written!!! totally agree!! and people here saying it is common sense!! well, guess what? most people I have meant, do not have any!!!

 

[luvmy3]

I guess I just feel like education (even in the form of a label) never hurts anyone, but a lack of education can be very dangerous indeed.
No, not everyone reads labels. Most of us only read them if we have a reason to, or are bored while cooking or eating (I think my brothers and I read every. single. word. on most of our cereal boxes, because the last thing we wanted to do was talk to each other that early in the morning)
Not everyone knows that hot dogs are a choking hazard, jut like not everyone knows what trans fats are (or how to find them in a list of ingredients). Not everyone knows you shouldn't give honey to an infant (so it's on the label). Why should we not at least attempt to educate them? Isn't the job of agency's like the American Academy of Pediatrics to try and educate the public, and reduce childhood death/illness. I'm glad they are focusing on choking right now, and I hope if nothing else the argument and media attention will make people more aware of the potential danger.

If most people don't read labels unless they have to, do you really think that putting a warning on the label is going to educate them?
How about instead of making it the responsibilty of the companies selling the hotdogs, the pediatricians inform their patients. Give them a mandatory sheet about the choking dangers of any and all foods, at every visit just to be sure all those new parents get the info.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would like to ask why some of you think it is so bad to just put the label on the food? Why? Why do you even care?

No everything cannot be labeled. But why does that mean we should label nothing?

I don't feel that any food needs to be labeled a hazard.

Well--maybe it all should. B/c people inhale their food and it leads to digestive issues b/c the food isn't "pre-digested" by the teeth first.


As far as the hot dogs--I think it could negatively impact their sales when they have done nothing wrong.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If most people don't read labels unless they have to, do you really think that putting a warning on the label is going to educate them?
How about instead of making it the responsibilty of the companies selling the hotdogs, the pediatricians inform their patients. Give them a mandatory sheet about the choking dangers of any and all foods, at every visit just to be sure all those new parents get the info.

Parents can't even be trusted to properly install a car seat or to buckle thier child properly in said car seat despite the very huge set of instructions and warnings that come with the car seat.

People don't read if they don't want to.

A teensy warning label Ballpark Franks will not change that.

 

[PeterPan09]

I would like to ask why some of you think it is so bad to just put the label on the food? Why? Why do you even care?

And would you have the same issue with constant literature going home with kids from child care, from the dr.'s office, and from the hospital telling what are choking hazards and why? If you don't then why do you care about a label?

Parents need to be constantly educated about common things being a danger to their child. And any little thing that can jar their memory or thier knowledge about things is that much better.

Why do any of you have such an issue with someone trying to save the life of a child??


No everything cannot be labeled. But why does that mean we should label nothing?

Because when you over warn, people become desensitized to it and ignore it-which creates the opposite result from what you want.

Not to mention the simple fact that if a person hasn't learned from their pediatrician that hot dogs are a hazard, hasn't read a baby/toddler book that tells them that hot dogs are a hazard and hasn't heard on TV that hot dogs are a hazard-do you REALLY think that a warning on the package is going to miraculously create a change??

I don't think a warning on a package is going to save anyone's life. I think that it's going to make these two people feel better about what happened to their child.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

A teensy warning label Ballpark Franks will not change that.

if it saves one life....it is worth it.

 

[wvjules]

and the water company needs to put a warning on the faucet too..you can choke on a really small amount of water too..oh, and you can also choke on your own spit....

Take this "we must warn" syndrome to it's logical conclusion and you see how crazy it becomes.

A child is dead and there has to be someone at fault. We don't want to blame obviously grieving parents, so we come up with a "villian"-the hot dog package did not have a proper warning!!!

I do that a lot when I read the DIS.

After pages and pages of this topic I just realized the hazard was the shape of the hotdog, not the skin that was on it.

BTW, who gives a toddler a WHOLE hotdog to munch on anyway?

 

[dejr_8]

Yes, if this is really what they say, they are wrong. My bet is that CNN got it wrong in an effort to further sensationalize this story.

If only one child dies every 5 days, they are wrong. Very, very wrong. Do the math yourself. I have pulled up many charts and most show about 15,000 deaths of children 14 and younger per year. 365 days / 5 = 73 deaths by choking per year. That accounts for less that one half of one percent of the deaths.

You think it is #1?

Simple math is such a powerful tool. Statistics can alway make something sound extreme (1 child every 5 days) until you do the math.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I am not opposed to companies deciding to voluntarily put this on their labels. According to the spokesman quoted earlier, more than half the brands in the US already put choking hazard information on their labels.

I am opposed to forcing them to do so, or asking for a product recall because they did not do so, or forcing them to produce a "safe shape"...

 

[PeterPan09]

if it saves one life....it is worth it.

So let's say that after Ball Park and Oscar Mayer put those warnings on the labels...what are we going to say when the next parent lets their toddler have a whole hot dog and he chokes to death? Who will get the blame then? Will we demand that the hot dog people change the shape of the food? Will we blame the education system for not teaching them well enough to read and understand the warning? Will we blame grieving parents for the loss of their child?