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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.