Choking warning urged for food labels

[krcit]

I can't imagine how they didn't know. Good lord, I don't even HAVE kids and I know that a toddler should not be given food in sizes larger than a single Cheerio! I know that they'll shove too much food into their mouths at once and try and swallow it, I know that they won't chew things properly. You give them ONE piece of Cheerio sized food at a time!

I'm sorry this happened to them, I really am-but I'm not going to blame the hot dog people for not putting a skull and crossbones on the package for them.

Once again, I am not blaming the hotdog people. I really don't see anyone on here blaming anyone. I am saying what does it hurt to raise awareness on this issue. You already know not to give a whole hotdog to a toddler-that's wonderful. I can guarantee that a whole bunch of new parents and people without children don't know that. Doesn't make them morons, it makes them ignorant of the subject.

 

[luvsJack]

I can't imagine how they didn't know. Good lord, I don't even HAVE kids and I know that a toddler should not be given food in sizes larger than a single Cheerio! I know that they'll shove too much food into their mouths at once and try and swallow it, I know that they won't chew things properly. You give them ONE piece of Cheerio sized food at a time!

I'm sorry this happened to them, I really am-but I'm not going to blame the hot dog people for not putting a skull and crossbones on the package for them.

You can give a child a piece of food larger than a cheerio, it has to do with the texture of the food too. Many foods that are made for toddlers are bigger than Cheerios. The texture and the abilty of the food to disolve make some things safe for a child. So you see, you don't have all the answers and you could give a child something as small as a cheerio and they could very well choke on it.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Once again, I am not blaming the hotdog people. I really don't see anyone on here blaming anyone. I am saying what does it hurt to raise awareness on this issue. You already know not to give a whole hotdog to a toddler-that's wonderful. I can guarantee that a whole bunch of new parents and people without children don't know that. Doesn't make them morons, it makes them ignorant of the subject.

Agreed, but even the most basic books and magazines on toddler care cover choking hazards. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I read about the choking hazards of hot dogs when we were expecting our first. I would say that, for a parent NOT to know, they would almost have to have tried not to educate themselves about parenthood...

 

[honugirl]

I had to laugh when they were talking about this on Fox News this morning. They were interviewing a pediatrician (I think he was part of the movement to change the shape of hot dogs) and one of his comments was that you should cut up your kids hot dog up to at least age 8, 14 preferably. Um, yeah dude. I'm sure those Jr High/High school kids are going to let mommy cut their lunch into bite sized pieces... Common sense here people!

 

[luvmy3]

Once again, I am not blaming the hotdog people. I really don't see anyone on here blaming anyone. I am saying what does it hurt to raise awareness on this issue. You already know not to give a whole hotdog to a toddler-that's wonderful. I can guarantee that a whole bunch of new parents and people without children don't know that. Doesn't make them morons, it makes them ignorant of the subject.

I was a new parent once, I knew not to give my toddler a hotdog. In fact I still cut up my 6 year olds and his grapes too. I didn't need the info printed on a package of hotdogs to figure it out

 

[PeterPan09]

You can give a child a piece of food larger than a cheerio, it has to do with the texture of the food too. Many foods that are made for toddlers are bigger than Cheerios. The texture and the abilty of the food to disolve make some things safe for a child. So you see, you don't have all the answers and you could give a child something as small as a cheerio and they could very well choke on it.

Never said I had all the answers-but I know enough not to give a toddler a whole hot dog without having to read a warning label.

I go back to the original point-you could put warning labels on every product to warn of every conceivable disaster and it would not protect against stupidity. It also would not protect against accidents or all potential risk.

 

[wdwfan16]

I had to laugh when they were talking about this on Fox News this morning. They were interviewing a pediatrician (I think he was part of the movement to change the shape of hot dogs) and one of his comments was that you should cut up your kids hot dog up to at least age 8, 14 preferably. Um, yeah dude. I'm sure those Jr High/High school kids are going to let mommy cut their lunch into bite sized pieces... Common sense here people!

What shape does he want a hotdog to be?

Can you see the fun in the lunch room when all the mom's show up to cut up their kids food!!!

 

[HamTown]

The head of the AAP was my pediatrician growing up. He has been very vocal for at least 30 years on this subject. No peanuts, popcorn, hot dogs, or grapes before age 5. ( I think raisins are on the list too.)

As a child I remember thinking it was stupid. Now that I'm a parent, it totally makes sense. I'll admit my 4 yo gets whole grapes if they are small, but if I'm serving them as a soccer snack or bringing them to preschool, you'd better believe I halve or quarter them, depending on size.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Like I said, just sad. I wouldn't blame a company or a warning label either, but that doesn't change the need for the label. Many foods are choking hazards and should be labeled as such. Toys are labeled, why not food? What is so horrible about putting a label on something?

What in heaven's name gives you the idea that I would want to call foster care over what you said? But to think that you would label something that tragic as natural selection is just sadder than the last statement.

I was being facetious. Boo-hoo. Just because something is a tragedy doesn't mean it can't also be natural selection. Not mutually exclusive.

 

[krcit]

Agreed, but even the most basic books and magazines on toddler care cover choking hazards. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I read about the choking hazards of hot dogs when we were expecting our first. I would say that, for a parent NOT to know, they would almost have to have tried not to educate themselves about parenthood...

You'd be suprised how many people don't read books or magazines. I don't understand it but I'm a reader and researcher...I want to know as much as I can. Anyway, there are also Grandparents, babysitters etc who probably haven't read the books. When my oldest dd was about a year old I left her with my best friend for the day. I told my friend to make her a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Well, when I came home my dd was sitting in her high chair with a sandwich on the tray cut in quarters. She was looking at it like 'um, what am I suppossed to do with this?" LOL, my bff didn't realize that she should cut it up in tiny pieces and I neglected to tell her, forgetting that someone who didn't have kids wouldn't know how a baby eats.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm sorry for her loss--but if she..."never imagined"--she was living in a cave in the middle of nowhere.

When I intro'd my children to foods--umm, any publication, handout, google search, pediatrician...would warn you of choking hazards.


My son is almost three--and I do cut his hot dog in quarters lengthewise.

So she's imagining to never consider that such things could be lethal and I consider it idiotic that the food industry have to put "warnings" in place b/c of her ignorance.


I've got news for everyone--

ANYTHING YOU INSERT INTO YOUR MOUTH CAN BE A CHOKING HAZARD.

Duh!!!!

 

[krcit]

I was being facetious. Boo-hoo. Just because something is a tragedy doesn't mean it can't also be natural selection. Not mutually exclusive.

Wow.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

You'd be suprised how many people don't read books or magazines. I don't understand it but I'm a reader and researcher...I want to know as much as I can. Anyway, there are also Grandparents, babysitters etc who probably haven't read the books. When my oldest dd was about a year old I left her with my best friend for the day. I told my friend to make her a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Well, when I came home my dd was sitting in her high chair with a sandwich on the tray cut in quarters. She was looking at it like 'um, what am I suppossed to do with this?" LOL, my bff didn't realize that she should cut it up in tiny pieces and I neglected to tell her, forgetting that someone who didn't have kids wouldn't know how a baby eats.

Yeah, but I was responding to your post, in which you said that it doesn't hurt to raise awareness. I just don't think that it is possible to raise the awareness any higher than it already is. Anyone that cares, knows. People that do not care are not going to retain it, even if you tatoo it on their hand...

 

[PeterPan09]

You'd be suprised how many people don't read books or magazines. I don't understand it but I'm a reader and researcher...I want to know as much as I can. Anyway, there are also Grandparents, babysitters etc who probably haven't read the books. When my oldest dd was about a year old I left her with my best friend for the day. I told my friend to make her a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Well, when I came home my dd was sitting in her high chair with a sandwich on the tray cut in quarters. She was looking at it like 'um, what am I suppossed to do with this?" LOL, my bff didn't realize that she should cut it up in tiny pieces and I neglected to tell her, forgetting that someone who didn't have kids wouldn't know how a baby eats.

So why do people think that these unaware humans are suddenly going to develop a reading ability because we put a warning label on a product??

I just have this vision of a day when every product we buy comes with a catalog of warnings.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Shoot! You beat me to it!


This is one of those things that you feel bad about when you laugh at it.

I do agree about the common sense. At lot of people just don't have it. My favorite warning label comes on strollers. It's something like "Do not fold stroller while child is in it". Wow.

My favorite was a very clearly marked carton of MILK.

And then in teeeny teeeny teeeny teeeny print:

"Allergen Information: Product contains milk".

If they couldnt' read the BIG lettering--me thinks they may have difficult reading the teeny tiny print.

This of course was in addition to the ingredients list that said Ingredients: Milk. But I don't mind that so much.

 

[wdwfan16]

i'm sorry for her loss--but if she..."never imagined"--she was living in a cave in the middle of nowhere.

When i intro'd my children to foods--umm, any publication, handout, google search, pediatrician...would warn you of choking hazards.


My son is almost three--and i do cut his hot dog in quarters lengthewise.

So she's imagining to never consider that such things could be lethal and i consider it idiotic that the food industry have to put "warnings" in place b/c of her ignorance.


I've got news for everyone--

anything you insert into your mouth can be a choking hazard.

duh!!!!

and not just for children.

 

[honugirl]

What shape does he want a hotdog to be?

Can you see the fun in the lunch room when all the mom's show up to cut up their kids food!!!

He didn't say, but something other than round... Square hot dogs could be fun! They won't roll off the counter anymore.

I'd pay money to see that lunchroom! Holy cow, that would be fun!

Seriously, how did I make it to 32? I must have eaten thousands of hot dogs and millions of grapes.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

and not just for children.

Not...going...to...say...it...

 

[PeterPan09]

My favorite was a very clearly marked carton of MILK.

And then in teeeny teeeny teeeny teeeny print:

"Allergen Information: Product contains milk".

If they couldnt' read the BIG lettering--me thinks they may have difficult reading the teeny tiny print.

This of course was in addition to the ingredients list that said Ingredients: Milk. But I don't mind that so much.

Yikes....not only can you not fix stupid, you look stupid trying to fix stupid.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

What shape does he want a hotdog to be?

I was wondering this myself. Read the entire article and still can't find the answer.

Redesign the hotdog, doctors urge
February 22, 2010

Lesley Ciarula Taylor

STAFF REPORTER

Hot dogs need to be redesigned so they aren’t potentially lethal to small children, American pediatricians said Monday in a new policy statement.

“We have laws and regulations that require warning labels on toys that pose choking hazards,” said Dr. Gary Smith of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the lead author of the policy published in the current issue of Pediatrics.

“There are no such regulations on high risk foods, and children are much more likely to put food in their mouths than a toy.”

The highest risk food is the hot dog, Smith said. Its size and shape means it can wedge itself tightly into a child’s throat, entirely blocking air passages.

“If you were to design the perfect plug for a child's airway, you couldn't do much better than a hot dog,” he told the Star. And unlike other risk foods such as grapes and popcorn, however, hot dogs are man-made and manufacturers can easily change their shape, he said.

Other risky foods for small children include grapes, popcorn, hard candy, carrots, pears, apples and celery.

In Canada, about 44 children age 14 and under die every year from choking and another 380 are hospitalized, according to SafeKids Canada. Almost half of those cases are from choking on food.

SafeKids concurs with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation to slice hot dogs lengthwise. The pediatricians go one step further, calling for a new shape for the dogs.

“No parents can watch all of their kids 100 per cent of the time,” Smith says. “The best way to protect kids is to design these risks out of existence. There is nothing to stop you from redesigning the hot dog. Safety sells. Someone can create a safety dog that isn’t round and airways-sized.”

Sweden has had age-labelling on foods for infants and young children since 1979 and warning labels on prepackaged shelled peanuts since 1981, Smith noted.

Janet Riley, president of the U.S. National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, told The Associated Press she agrees with the need for education, and points out more than half the hot dogs sold in the United States have warnings to parents to cut them into small pieces.

“As a mother who has fed toddlers cylindrical foods like grapes, bananas, hot dogs and carrots, I 'redesigned' them in my kitchen by cutting them with a paring knife until my children were old enough to manage on their own,” Riley says.

Smith disagreed. “Just telling people to be careful or blaming the parents is an uninformed approach.”

The pediatricians are calling for:

• Warning labels on foods that pose a high choking risk

• A recall of food products that pose a significant choking hazard

• The establishment of a nationwide food-related choking-incident surveillance and reporting system

• A commitment from food manufacturers to design new food and redesign existing food to minimize choking risk, to the extent possible

In the meantime, the policy recommends parents and caregivers:

• Do not give children younger than 4 any round, firm foods unless they have been cut into very small pieces. Cut hot dogs lengthwise and cut grapes into quarters.

• Do not give toddlers other high risk foods, such as hard candy, nuts, seeds and raw carrots.

• Never let small children run, play or lie down while eating.

• Keep coins and other small items out of reach of young children at all times.

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/769499--change-the-shape-of-hotdogs-doctors-urge