Food Safety

Dear Parents, 

Each year, more than 17,000 infants and children are treated in hospital emergency departments for choking-related incidents, and more than 80 percent of these occur in children aged five years and younger. Airway obstruction, death and injury are especially prevalent in Early Years children due to anatomy, natural curiosity, a tendency to put objects in their mouths, and incomplete chewing. The size of a young child’s trachea (windpipe or breathing tube) is approximately the size of a drinking straw in diameter. 

As our Early Years children are still young, we kindly ask that you please make sure to cut their grapes lengthways, in half, when putting them in your child’s lunch.  

This applies to other fruits and vegetables as well. Cutting food into small pieces (lengthwise for grapes, tomatoes, hotdogs, sausages etc.) and removing seeds and pits can help to prevent choking. Also, if possible, avoid serving foods which are known to be choking hazards to children.

Please do not hesitate to discuss this with us if you have any questions. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. 

Tamara Quinn

Early Years Nurse  

ey.medical.dbis.edu.hk