Pediatricians Want to Address Hot Dog Choking Hazards

February 2010

The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for hot dogs to come with a warning label because of the choking hazard they pose to children and babies. They're also pushing for a hot dog "redesign" so that their size, shape, and texture make them less likely to lodge in a child's throat. The academy says that in their current form, hot dogs are the perfect plug for a child's airway.

While the Consumer Product Safety Commission requires labels on dangerous toys with small parts that might pose a choking risk, there are no required warnings on food even though more than half of non-fatal choking incidents are food-related. More than 100,000 children under 14 are taken to the emergency room each year after choking on food and up to 77 die. About 17 percent of choking episodes involving food are caused by hot dogs.

The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council supports better educating parents about choking prevention. The council does note that more than half of hot dogs sold already have choking-prevention tips on their packaging, advising that they be cut into small pieces.