Choking Hazards for Babies

Food shape and texture may increase the risk of choking, especially for babies who are still learning how to chew. Learn how to minimize risk at mealtime from our licensed pediatric pros.

What are choking hazards for babies? 

Some foods and non-food objects (such as coins and small toys) pose a high risk of choking, especially when they are small and firm, round, rubbery, slippery, springy, sticky, and/or tapered.

To minimize the risk, be mindful of small objects around your home (especially on your floors) and modify foods to lower the risk of choking and make it easier for baby to practice chewing. Equally important is your meal setting: create a safe eating environment in which the child is safely seated with minimal distractions and supervised by an adult. The latest research and data show a child’s eating environment is the most important factor for mealtime safety.

What foods are choking hazards for babies? 

The breathing tube of a young baby is about ¼ inch (⅔ cm) in diameter. While any food can block the ability to breathe if it becomes lodged in the breathing tube, certain foods come up again and again in conversations about choking. These foods share some or all of the following characteristics:

Common Food Choking Hazards for Babies

These foods often come in shapes or textures that increase the risk of choking, but good news: most can be modified to safely share with baby. Download the Solid Starts App to use the First Foods® database to look up how to prepare any food for a child’s age and developmental ability.

This list is not exhaustive; it contains examples of foods that may pose a high risk of choking based on the evidence base and clinical experience of our multidisciplinary team of licensed pediatric professionals. It includes foods identified as choking hazards by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as foods identified as high-risk in the latest medical literature.

Non-Food Choking Hazards for Babies

Nearly half of all childhood choking fatalities involve objects that are not food. These include:

Choking Hazards In The Kitchen

Choking Hazards Around The House

Choking Hazards In the Playroom

How to Prevent Baby Choking

As baby grows into toddlerhood, it is important to actively teach how to safely eat high-risk foods such as chewy foods, fruit with pits, and whole nuts. 

How do I stop being scared of choking during meals with my baby? 

First, know that you’re not alone. Introducing solid food feels overwhelming to many. To help calm anxiety, start by letting baby practice feeding themselves with a spoon dipped in a mash or puree. Next, move on to less challenging foods, such as food teethers that do not break apart as baby munches. Remember that letting baby feed themselves lowers the risk of choking.

Even if not much (or any!) food makes its way into the belly, practicing with spoons and food teethers starts to teach baby what real food feels like and how it works. Many families gain confidence as they see how capable baby is at chewing, and more confidence can help ease your nerves once you feel ready to offer food that needs to be chewed. 

Go at your own pace and remember: it is normal for baby to not consume much (or any!) solid food at first. Touching, grabbing, holding, munching, and exploring food are part of learning how to eat. If you feel so much fear that you are unable to start solids, talk to your pediatrician and ask for support in getting started.  

This article is for informational purposes only and it is not a substitute for professional advice from or consultation with a pediatric healthcare professional. This information has been created with typically developing infants and children in mind. If your child has underlying medical or developmental differences, discuss your child's feeding plan with their primary medical provider.  Please review our Terms and Conditions of Use.

Written By

J. Longbottom, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, Pediatric Feeding/Swallowing Specialist

K. Grenawitzke, OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT, Pediatric Feeding/Swallowing Specialist

M. Suarez, MS, OTR/L, SWC, CLEC, Pediatric Feeding/Swallowing Specialist

R. Ruiz, MD, FAAP, CLC. Pediatric Gastroenterologist