Choking First Aid on the Sports Field

That crisp fall feeling is in the air, and for many families that means it’s sports season! This can be one of the busiest times of year for parents, from hustling the kids from school to practices during the week to organizing weekends around games and tournaments. During these crazy times, it can feel like there’s just too much to keep track of, but we believe one of the best ways to put parents’ minds at ease is with The Dechoker anti-choking device.

Read on to learn why we believe The Dechoker should be on the sidelines of every kids’ sporting event and how you can help ensure your family’s safety.

Choking Risks at the Game

Children are at a higher risk of choking than adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a child dies of choking about every five days in the U.S. alone. During a busy autumn sports season, there are countless moments where a choking incident might occur. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest risks:

• Families eating on the go: How often during sports season does your family eat a meal in the car? Sure, it’s every parent’s goal to have dinner as a family at the table every night, but there’s no way that’s happening when you’re picking up one child from soccer practice and rushing the next off to cheerleading — or basketball, or tennis, or volleyball — in the same night. We understandably eat on the go when we need to, and that introduces a higher choking risk. A child is least likely to choke when he or she is calmly eating while sitting down at a table. 
• Team snacks: Ever had to prepare a snack for your kid’s sports team? There are lots of moments during sports seasons when your children eat away from your careful supervision, potentially while running around with teammates, rather than sitting still. What’s more, many typical sports snacks can be “risky” foods. The size and shape of foods like grapes, baby carrots, trail mix and popcorn make them convenient snacks, but they also make them more dangerous.
• Water breaks: Time out! Your child runs off the field or court, out of breath, and starts chugging from a water bottle. Choking while drinking water and other liquids is common, and it’s even more likely when a person is being active. 
• Sibling spectators: Have multiple kids in sports at the same time? Like many families, this means you probably end up with a child sitting in the bleachers at another child’s game, likely with a bit less supervision as you help out your other child’s team on the sideline or raptly watch the action. It’s not hard to imagine a choking incident involving a concession stand treat and a bored sibling spectator.

How You Can Help

So amid all these seasonal risks, what can we do? We can be prepared for a choking emergency should one arise. We believe every family should own The Dechoker device for choking first aid, and during a bustling sports season, it should be handy at every practice and game.

We invite you to learn more about how The Dechoker works and consider adding it to your vehicle or the sports bag you take to your children’s sporting events. You might also talk with other team parents or coaches about the risks and how our device can help. At a convenient, compact size, The Dechoker makes a simple and smart addition to any team’s first-aid kit. 

We hope your family has a winning — and safe — sports season! 

Check out the Dechoker here.