Choking, Drowning, Suffocation & Strangulation
Suffocation, choking and strangulation are leading causes of injury to children and youth. Children who survive these injuries are at risk for brain damage due to an extended period of time where their brain was not supplied with oxygen. The effects of such a traumatic brain injury are life-long and devastating.
Children’s breathing can be threatened in a number of ways such as choking on food, suffocation in cribs or beds, or strangulation on ropes and cords. Almost half of all child hospitalizations in Canada for choking, suffocation and strangulation are from choking on food.
Drowning is the leading cause of death and the second leading cause of hospitalization due to injury in Saskatchewan infants. Children are attracted to water but are not capable of understanding the dangers associated with water. Children can drown in less than 5 cm (2 in.) of water. Children drown silently and quickly.
Prevention
Simple safety measures can be taken to ensure that a child does not experience a threatened breathing incident resulting in injury or death. Your child should be actively supervised at all times. Other actions to reduce the risk of an injury due to choking, drowning, suffocation, and strangulation are listed below.
Choking
Children under three years of age and children who still have a tendency to put non-food items in their mouths are at an increased risk of choking on foods and other small objects.
- Mash, grate, or chop into small pieces foods such as bananas, cucumbers, cheese, carrots, and round or ‘plug-shaped’ food such as grapes and hot dogs. To make hard foods, such as carrots and broccoli, softer you can steam or boil them. Keep hard foods such as candy, gum, popcorn with kernels, and nuts away from small children.
- Items such as small toys, keys, and coins can become stuck in a child’s airway and cause choking. To check if a toy is too small for a young child, see if it will fit in the middle of a toilet paper roll. Any item that fits inside a toilet paper roll is a choking hazard for young children.
For more information on choking prevention, please visit the links below.
Choking Prevention Information Video by CIRP – YouTube (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Swl8xOKXEM&feature=related
Facts for Hazards of Ingesting Small Magnets - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2007)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/magnets_danger-aimant-eng.php
How to Prevent Choking Video by CIRP – YouTube (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRuSChe6-gE&NR=1
Is Your Child Safe? - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2006)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/child-enfant/index-eng.php
Toy Safety Tips - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2009)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/toy_safe-jouet_secur-eng.php
Magnets - Healthy Canadians, Government of Canada (2010)
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/init/kids-enfants/toy-jouets/magnet-aimant/index-eng.php
Drowning
Active supervision of your child at all times when she is in or near water is very important. Other important safety behaviours to reduce the risk of a drowning incident are listed below.
- Avoid the use of a bath seat or a bath ring. Bath seats and rings have been attributed to a number of drowning incidents in infants and young children and their use is not recommended.
- Never leave an infant or young child in the care of an older child when in or near water, including paddling pools and in the bathroom.
- Put an eye and hook lock on the outside of the bathroom door, up high and out of reach of young children, to keep them out of the bathroom without adult supervision. Drain water out of sinks and bathtubs immediately after they are used and install locks on toilet seat lids.
- Paddling pools must always be supervised. Completely empty and turn upside down any paddling pool that is not being actively supervised by an adult.
- Ensure all backyard pools have fencing on all four sides that is at least four feet high and cannot be accessed by children. Teach children not to go in or near the pool without an adult.
- Enroll your children in swimming lessons.
For more information on drowning prevention, please visit the links below.
Drowning Prevention - Safe Kids Canada (2010)
http://www.safekidscanada.ca/Parents/Safety-Information/Drowning-Prevention/Index.aspx
Facts for Infant Bath Seats and Bath Rings - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2007)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/bath_seat-sieges_de_bain-eng.php
Is Your Child Safe? - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2006)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/child-enfant/index-eng.php
Swimming Pool Safety - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/pools-piscine-eng.php
Suffocation
- Always place your baby on her back to sleep in a crib. Once your baby has developed the ability to roll over by herself you do not need to reposition her if she rolls, but should continue to place her on her back to sleep.
For more safe sleeping practices, please visit http://www.preventioninstitute.sk.ca/maternal-and-infant-health/safe-sleeping-and-sids.
- Keep objects such as stuffed animals, quilts, pillows, and bumper pads out of your baby’s crib. These objects can suffocate your child if they cover his face or mouth.
- Keep plastic bags, plastic wrap, and latex balloons out of reach of your child.
For more information on suffocation prevention, please visit the links below.
Crib Safety - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2003)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/crib-lits/index-eng.php
Did You Know? Health Canada – YouTube (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aTj55n-wrs
Is Your Child Safe? - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2006)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/child-enfant/index-eng.php
Playpen Safety - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2009)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/playpen-parcs-eng.php
Strangulation
- Blind and curtain cords can strangle a child if he becomes tangled in the cord. Tie curtain and blind cords out of reach of children by using a safety device, clothes pin, hook, or nail. Cut the bottom loop out of curtain and blind cords.
- Keep cribs, beds, tables, couches, and chairs away from windows with curtain and blind cords.
For more information on strangulation prevention, please visit the links below.
Blind and Curtain Cords - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2010)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/house-domes/decor/blinds-toles-eng.php
Curtain Cord Choking Hazards - Healthy Canadians, Government of Canada (2011)
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/init/kids-enfants/sleep-sommeil/cord/index-eng.php
Danger! Children can Strangle on Blind and Curtain Cords - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/blinds-cordons-eng.php
Is Your Child Safe? - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2006)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/child-enfant/index-eng.php
Playground – Danger of Strangulation - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/play-terraindejeu-eng.php
Playpen Safety - Consumer Product Safety, Health Canada (2009)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/playpen-parcs-eng.php
Window Covering Cord Safety Demonstration – Out of Reach, Health Canada – YouTube (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Vfil1lgGc&feature=relmfu
Links
For more information on prevention of threatened breathing, please visit the links below.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY, HEALTH CANADA
Blind and Curtain Cords (2010)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/house-domes/decor/blinds-toles-eng.php
Crib Safety (2003)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/crib-lits/index-eng.php
Danger! Children can Strangle on Blind and Curtain Cords (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/blinds-cordons-eng.php
Facts for Infant Bath Seats and Bath Rings (2007)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/bath_seat-sieges_de_bain-eng.php
Facts for Hazards of Ingesting Small Magnets (2007)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/magnets_danger-aimant-eng.php
Is Your Child Safe? (2006)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/child-enfant/index-eng.php
Playground – Danger of Strangulation (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/play-terraindejeu-eng.php
Playpen Safety (2009)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/playpen-parcs-eng.php
Swimming Pool Safety (2005)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/pools-piscine-eng.php
Toy Safety Tips (2009)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/toy_safe-jouet_secur-eng.php
HEALTHY CANADIANS, GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
Curtain Cord Choking Hazards (2011)
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/init/kids-enfants/sleep-sommeil/cord/index-eng.php
Magnets (2010)
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/init/kids-enfants/toy-jouets/magnet-aimant/index-eng.php
SAFE KIDS CANADA
Drowning Prevention
http://www.safekidscanada.ca/Parents/Safety-Information/Drowning-Prevention/Index.aspx
VIDEOS
Choking Prevention Information Video by CIRP (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Swl8xOKXEM&feature=related
Did You Know? – Health Canada (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aTj55n-wrs
How to Prevent Choking Video by CIRP (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRuSChe6-gE&NR=1
Window Covering Cord Safety Demonstration – Out of Reach – Health Canada (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Vfil1lgGc&feature=relmfu