You wanted to know if it's normal for your baby to stick everything in their mouth. And absolutely, it is. This is part of how a baby explores the world around them. They taste it, they look at it, they touch it, they feel it, and so it's very, very normal for them to do this. But this means that you as a parent need to be extra vigilant at making sure that all choking hazards are kept out of reach. And sometimes, even in spite of our best efforts, they'll find something. You have to look under furniture, under couches, in couch cushions, any place that an older baby or a younger toddler might go needs to be totally free and clear of clutter so that they don't stick something into their mouth that could potentially cause them to choke.

When it comes to choking, about 50% of choking incidents are due to food. The other 50% are due to objects. And so here's just a few things to put on your radar. Small items that are commonly choked on to put on your radar include small circular batteries, coins, buttons, toys with small parts. And when you're buying toys for your children, look at the recommended age. The manufacturer will give this information based on the number of small pieces, and so it's good to not let smaller children play with toys that are meant for older children, because they may have parts that disconnect or that are smaller that a child can choke on. Also watch out for toys that are big enough for the child to put entirely in their mouth, like bouncy balls for example. Pens, markers, refrigerator magnets, or even small hair bows, and bobby pins, and things that they can pull out of their hair, or jewelry are also other things to watch out for. Balloons are another common thing. It's very possible for a child to bite into an inflated balloon, and as it deflates, if the child takes a big deep breath, they can inhale that down into their airway. So keep small children away from balloons.

When it comes to foods, here are some things to think about and not give to children under the age of 4. Hotdogs, although they are commonly fed to children under the age of 4, are a huge choking hazard. They're just the perfect size and they can get lodged in a child's throat. Also avoid nuts, chunks of meat or cheese, whole grapes, hard candies, really sticky candies, and even chunks of peanut butter, because that can be hard for a child to chew on, and then they end up swallowing a large portion of peanut butter, and that can get lodged in their throat. Chewing gum, popcorn, as well as raw vegetables should also be avoided. If you have more questions in the future for me, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at [ Ссылка ], and recommend us to your friends and family too.

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