Four Surprising Choking Hazards for Children

My son has the eyes of a hawk and the crawling speed of a NASCAR and he utilizes these formidable skills to hunt and swallow choking hazards that apparently only baby eyes can see because regardless of how thoroughly I clean his play area, he'll find something obscure and shove it in his mouth.

Choking hazards for children are surprisingly bizarre and seemingly innocuous because it's always household items that a mother sees daily and therefore has erased from her vision.

These dangers don't have a blaring warning to ignite your instincts, like a kitchen knife for example. Knives can be elevated or stored in a locked cabinet but, what about your floors? Or your throw pillows?

Children are so precious and I want to help keep them safe, here are a few surprising choking hazards:

1.

Tassels are a double danger to children because of the actual tassel itself that a child can choke on but, the beads that decorate tassels can be swallowed and cause choking or pain as the item passes through the baby's system. Remove all items with tassels from your home.

2.

Draw Strings on clothing, like hoody jackets and yoga or workout wear can choke a child that is at the stage where he is putting everything into his mouth. It's easy to get distracted with a phone call or an email or an errand while your' baby is chewing on your draw string causing a choking hazard and/or a terribly traumatic moment for a mother who may have to pull a long pool of string out of a child's throat. Emotional trauma to a new mother can lead to Post Partum Depression, so please avoid clothing with draw strings or cut them off entirely.

3.

Cardboard of any kind is a choking hazard to a teething child because the firmness feels good on their gums but, if your baby already has teeth, he can shred and swallow the cardboard. Place ALL cardboard items, like boxes and packaging in a location where your baby can't reach them.

4.

Beneath furniture is a well of dangerous choking opportunities for your child to go scouring in their new world so check under your furniture regularly for a walnut that may have fallen off the kitchen counter and rolled under the ottoman or a peach pit that skimmed out of your husbands hands and skid under the kitchen table.

Remember, children see this worn out world we've been looking at for decades with brand new eyes, making it paramount that we step out of our comfort zone to protect their immediate environment from hazards. See your world with new eyes.

Here is the most surprising cue that your child may be choking: he or she is abnormally quiet.

IF YOUR CHILD GOES VERY QUIET, IMMEDIATELY CHECK ON THEM AND CHECK THEIR MOUTHS FOR FOREIGN OBJECTS.

Play well and play safe everyone!