Why is popcorn a choking hazard?

[Anonymous]

There are also different kinds of popcorn. We get popcorn that pops up really small, so even a whole piece goes does easily, and the hull basically disappears when it's popped. Black jewel popcorn. It's one of 3 y.o. DC's favorite snacks, and I can load it up with olive oil (popped in oil and butter) to add some good fat to everyone's diet.

[Anonymous]

Read this: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/health/25choke.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=popcorn%20and%20choking&st=cse

And 7:17PP - pay particular attention to the following quote: “I see the parents when they bring their children into the E.R.,” Dr. Smith said. “Virtually every time they say, ‘I can’t believe this happened to my child — I was standing right there.’ ”

In interests of full disclosure, I never realized what a hazard popcorn could be either. But after reading this article, I won't have it in the house at all out of concern for my 20 month old who can and will eat vast quantities of every other adult food (including hotdogs, cut-up, but inevitably eaten by the handful.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine's been eating popcorn since 2.5, no problem. It's a great healthy snack. We watch him, just like we watch him when he's eating anything else.

Gotta love stupid statements like this one. Popcorn is sited as a major choking hazard. Please explain the value in giving it to a young child. Are there no other safe, healthy snacks?

[Anonymous]

Thank you, 12:35!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine's been eating popcorn since 2.5, no problem. It's a great healthy snack. We watch him, just like we watch him when he's eating anything else.

Gotta love stupid statements like this one. Popcorn is sited as a major choking hazard. Please explain the value in giving it to a young child. Are there no other safe, healthy snacks?

oops, and I meant cited. Looks like I made the stupid statement this time because I was typing fast.

[Anonymous]

Oh gosh, I'm a bad parent...I gave my DD popcorn the other night. It was an appetizer at a local restaurant, and she was crying for it (she's 21 months). I gave her the soft pieces that didn't have the kernel in them. Is that bad?

[Anonymous]

13:30 here again - thank you 12:43 for posting that link. Thank God nothing bad happened. I feel so stupid...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the answer I actually saw a medical program that discussed the risks of popcorn. The kernels are not the problem.

The problem is that the popped corn itself is so lightweight that it can be easily sucked right into a child's windpipe directly into their lung. They actually won't even choke that much because the thing goes straight through the airway.

The biggest concern is that this can happen without the child or parents knowing it. The child now has a piece of popcorn literally sitting in their lung. After a few days the infection called aspiration pnemonia kicks in and this is a life threatening condition. If the popcorn isn't surgically removed from the child's lung they will die. Sadly sometimes it's not discovered until it's too late. If it is discovered the risks from the infection and lung surgery are still huge and the child still may not survive.

I'm a pediatrician and was about to post this answer! This is it! Popcorn is a huge aspiration risk. I've seen friends feed it to their 10 month olds, their 2 year olds, their 3 year olds and I've seen all ages choke and gag. Obviously, the older the child gets, the easier it is for them to understand they have to chew every bite and how to express that something went down the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine's been eating popcorn since 2.5, no problem. It's a great healthy snack. We watch him, just like we watch him when he's eating anything else.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine's been eating popcorn since 2.5, no problem. It's a great healthy snack. We watch him, just like we watch him when he's eating anything else.

THis is such a stupid comment. Single case studies mean nothing when talking about increased risks. I don't know the stats, but I am sure that something like only 1/10,000 kids who regularly eat popcorn die from choking (probably less), but the issue is that this risk is so much greater than eating other foods like crackers. People like you are simply bad parents who base things on personal experience. I let Johnny play with knives and he didn't hurt himself so therefor playing with knives is safe.

Unnecessary. She is not a "bad parent"; she values the risk of this activity differently than you.
And, eating popcorn is NOT the same thing (not the same risk) as playing with knives. You said yourself the risk from popcorn aspiration is low (based on stats). I'm certain that the risk of playing with a sharp knife, resulting in serious injury, is much higher. Stupid comparison.

While I agree that eating popcorn is not a good idea for small children, your response was way too smug and bitchy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have the answer I actually saw a medical program that discussed the risks of popcorn. The kernels are not the problem.

The problem is that the popped corn itself is so lightweight that it can be easily sucked right into a child's windpipe directly into their lung. They actually won't even choke that much because the thing goes straight through the airway.

The biggest concern is that this can happen without the child or parents knowing it. The child now has a piece of popcorn literally sitting in their lung. After a few days the infection called aspiration pnemonia kicks in and this is a life threatening condition. If the popcorn isn't surgically removed from the child's lung they will die. Sadly sometimes it's not discovered until it's too late. If it is discovered the risks from the infection and lung surgery are still huge and the child still may not survive.

I'm a pediatrician and was about to post this answer! This is it! Popcorn is a huge aspiration risk. I've seen friends feed it to their 10 month olds, their 2 year olds, their 3 year olds and I've seen all ages choke and gag. Obviously, the older the child gets, the easier it is for them to understand they have to chew every bite and how to express that something went down the wrong way.

Thank you, pediatrician, for chiming in. I have worked with children with learning differences for years and one of my most challenging cases was a child who had a brain injury due to lack of oxygen from chocking on a piece of popcorn. She was 3 at the time. Parents who have been lucky, that's just what it is luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the answer I actually saw a medical program that discussed the risks of popcorn. The kernels are not the problem.

The problem is that the popped corn itself is so lightweight that it can be easily sucked right into a child's windpipe directly into their lung. They actually won't even choke that much because the thing goes straight through the airway.

The biggest concern is that this can happen without the child or parents knowing it. The child now has a piece of popcorn literally sitting in their lung. After a few days the infection called aspiration pnemonia kicks in and this is a life threatening condition. If the popcorn isn't surgically removed from the child's lung they will die. Sadly sometimes it's not discovered until it's too late. If it is discovered the risks from the infection and lung surgery are still huge and the child still may not survive.

I wonder how often this actually happens? I also wonder how often the same thing happens with other types of food.

[Anonymous]

If aspiration is the biggest risk for popcorn, wouldn't this also apply to eating rice cakes and any other light puffed grains (unless they're soaked in milk or whatever)?

[Anonymous]

We eat popcorn every night in my family. I do think it is a slightly more dangerous food to eat than, say, cheerios or a cracker. I think it might be more similar to apples, hot dogs, and grapes in terms of choking ability -- but I think those three things are easier to get out using the Heimlich Maneuver if necessary.

But it is such a cheap and healthy snack, that I think the risk is worth taking. However, I do make sure to teach my children how to eat popcorn.... that they should never stuff their mouths with any food, but expecially not popcorn. That they shoudln't be up and walking around with food in their mouths, ever -- but especially not with popcorn. They should always chew their food carefully -- but especially popcorn.

And I don't let my children mix eating popcorn with any other food -- for example, they can't have a bite of pocorn and then a bite of an apple.

It might seem like I am a helicopter mom monitoring my kids eating habits, or it might seem easier just not to serve popcorn altogether. But my kids are both school aged and they will encounter popcorn in their lives -- I want them to be experienced at eating it, to be familiar with the texture, and to know how to eat it and other foods like it safely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We eat popcorn every night in my family. I do think it is a slightly more dangerous food to eat than, say, cheerios or a cracker. I think it might be more similar to apples, hot dogs, and grapes in terms of choking ability -- but I think those three things are easier to get out using the Heimlich Maneuver if necessary.

But it is such a cheap and healthy snack, that I think the risk is worth taking. However, I do make sure to teach my children how to eat popcorn.... that they should never stuff their mouths with any food, but expecially not popcorn. That they shoudln't be up and walking around with food in their mouths, ever -- but especially not with popcorn. They should always chew their food carefully -- but especially popcorn.

And I don't let my children mix eating popcorn with any other food -- for example, they can't have a bite of pocorn and then a bite of an apple.

It might seem like I am a helicopter mom monitoring my kids eating habits, or it might seem easier just not to serve popcorn altogether. But my kids are both school aged and they will encounter popcorn in their lives -- I want them to be experienced at eating it, to be familiar with the texture, and to know how to eat it and other foods like it safely.

I hope you don't eat microwave popcorn daily - major chemicals in that stuff.