Parents warned over popular kid's meal that causes almost fifth of choking incidents

Wondering what to cook the little ones for dinner this evening? You might want to rethink your meal plan after reading this.

According to health and safety experts one quick and easy meal that parents love has been revealed to be responsible for more than one in every six incidents of choking in young children, reports Devon Live.

CE Safety have this week drawn up a list of the most dangerous foods for kids and an unexpected summertime favourite has come out on top.

The experts have also outlined what you should to do to avoid your child choking – and what to do if they happen to start choking.

The research found that hot dogs are the most dangerous food to serve to young children, with parents who do cook them being advised to remove the peel and chop them into pieces.

Hot dogs, which are just the right size and consistency to block the airway, are the top cause of food-related choking in children under the age of three – with 17 percent of cases caused by hot dogs.

Following this, 10 percent of choking cases were found to be due to hard candy, nine percent because of grapes and eight percent caused by nuts.

Other food items that can present a choking hazard include popcorn, white bread, crackers or rice cakes, seeds, chunks of cheese, raw vegetables, chewing gum, marshmallows, chicken with a bone and fruit such as apples, oranges, cherries and watermelon.

On average, 351 people die every year as a result of chocking and hundreds more are rushed to hospital for treatment. This includes 40 children under the age of five every day.

The NHS advise that you introduce solid foods to your child from around the age of six months old. However, you should always supervise your little one when eating to make sure they are chewing and swallowing correctly. 

The size of a young child’s trachea (windpipe) or breathing tube is approximately the size of a drinking straw in diameter. Anything larger than this can get stuck and cause a child to choke. 

A spokesman for CE Safety said: “Choking is a serious risk and is something that can be prevented. It is important to be aware of the size of items located near to a child as it is highly likely they will pick up any items nearby at place this in their mouth.

“We think it is important for every parent to understand the risks and precautions as well as what to do in this scenario. The St Johns ambulance advert created in 2015 still remains as one of the most watched videos surround child safety and can help you save a live in just 40 seconds.”