My choking scare with Waipuna has gained a lot of traction online. When I told my story, I had no idea what impact it would have on people. I was hoping some of you would sign up for a First Aid / CPR course, that some of you would share your personal stories to make us all more aware … and that I could provide some resources for those of you that wanted to know more.

I’ve been overwhelmed with the response.

All of those things happened. I’ve organized a free class. It’s full and there’s a looooong wait list. So, I organized a few more. Here is a LINK to more information on how to sign up for the FREE CPR / FIRST AID CERTIFICATION courses offered on Maui & the Big Island. There are two dates on Maui at the Kahului Airport and one date on the Big Island. You can find resources for those of you on Oahu and Kauai by clicking HERE (it’s at the bottom of the page). Awareness is key. According to the Department of Health, choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death in children under the age of 5.

After reading HUNDREDS of comments, here are 10 seemingly obvious choking hazards that may or may not be on your radar…

1. BANDAGES - Click HERE for more info.
2. CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES - hair clips (See my blog: How I Saved My Baby From Choking), beads, buttons or anything that could come loose.. especially when baby is alone in their crib.
3. FOOD – chewy, sticky food / round, whole, un-cut food (grapes, blueberries, strawberries, raw vegetables) / hard foods (popcorn, nuts, candy) / hot dogs / raisins & cranberries (can clump together) / dry pet food – This accounts for more than 50% of choking incidents.
4. PLASTIC WRAPPERS
5. COINS
6. BATTERIES – Small lithium ion batteries can also cause a lot of harm to organs and body parts when ingested as well.
7. TOYS  - Use the toilet paper roll test. If it can fit through the hole in the toilet paper roll, it’s too small. Art supplies (beads, pen caps, safety pins, tacks etc…), small toys and marbles fall into this category.
8. PEBBLES
9. BALLOONS – One fourth of choking deaths in infants and toddlers is due to swallowing latex balloons.
10. MAGNETS – In addition to the choking hazard, children may need to get emergency surgery to remove magnets.

If you would like to read personal stories from my #LifesSwell readers, click HERE.