Top 10 Chocking Hazards

According to a 2008 study, the 10 foods that pose the highest choking hazards for young children are hot dogs, peanuts, carrots, boned chicken, candy, meat, popcorn, fish with bones, sunflower seeds and apples.

Peanuts caused the highest frequency of injury, and hot dogs were most often associated with fatal outcomes. Age younger than 3 years was the highest-risk factor.
Hard, round foods with high elasticity or lubricity properties, or both, pose a significant level of risk.

Dr. Gary Smith, the lead author of "American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement on food hazards", says some foods should simply not be given to children under 4 or 5: he mentioned raw carrots, marshmallows, peanuts, popcorn, hard candies and gumballs.

If feeding a young child a hot dog, he said, cut it lengthwise before slicing it. (Simply slicing it into nickel-size chunks makes it more dangerous than not slicing it at all.) Cut grapes into quarters. Flat lollipops are safer than ball-shaped suckers.

Sources: NYTimes and International Journal of Pediatrics