Choking Safety

Did you know? Choking is a leading cause of injury for young children, but choking can usually be prevented. If you think an object or toy may be unsafe for young children, you can test the object or toy by placing it in the choking prevention tube.

If the object or toy is a choking hazard, it should be kept out of reach and sight of children under three years of age and children who still tend to place non-food items in their mouths.

Safety Tips

• Always supervise children and teach them how to use toys safely.
• Keep small toys, balls or loose or broken toy parts out of reach of young children.
• Purchase age-appropriate toys.
• When buying toys, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions including reading the age label, safety and warning messages and assembly instructions.
• Know how your child plays. Small toys can be choking hazards for older children if they still put non-food items in their mouths.
• Check toy cars and trucks to make sure that wheels, tires, or other small parts are not loose or removable.
• Check squeeze toys to make sure that small squeakers or reeds are not removable.
• Check stuffed and plush toys to make sure that the eyes, nose, and other small items are firmly attached and cannot be pulled off
• Avoid foods that cause choking and know what foods need special preparation
• Sign-up for consumer product safety recalls from Health Canada¹