June 2010           Choke Prevention Guidelines

Choking is the leading cause of injury and death among infants and young children under the age of 3. In a new policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics focuses on the leading causes of foreign-body airways obstruction: food, coins and toys.

The policy statement notes that in the United States, choking of food kills roughly one child every five days. In one study, hot dogs alone accounted for 17% of fatal food-related choking among children under age of 10. Aspiration of latex balloons is the leading cause of choking death among nonfood objects.

Characteristics of food and objects likely to cause cooking include: small sizes, round or cylindrical shapes, compressibility or tendency to conform to the airway and create an airtight seal such as with hot dogs, marshmallows, peanut butter, and uninflated balloons or balloon fragments.

This statement notes that many risky foods and objects are manufactured and could be modified to reduce these risks. It calls for a comprehensive choking prevention effort involving education of parents, child-care workers and teachers; enactment of safety legislation to reduce the availability of hazardous products on the market; and design changes in consumer products to minimize their inherent choking risks. This statement can be downloaded from http://www.pediatrics.org .

Letters have been mailed out to parents of students who have their medications with the nurse for pick up. Notification to future K and 7 th graders for health entry for 2010 have been sent either via the mail or K registrations. Reminders will be in your child's final report card for students entering 6 th and 8 th grade that if they are interested in trying out for a sport in 2010-11, they should obtain a sports physical. Only new students entering Jamestown School will need to submit immunizations that are required for incoming 7 th graders. Please mail in your physical forms to me c/o either school if the physical is completed over the summer.

Have a wonderful summer!

Renie Sullivan, RN