COLUMBUS, Ohio — Choking is one of the most common injuries for children under the age of five and especially those under the age of 3, according to Nationwide Children's Hospital.
A local pediatrician at the hospital is going viral for her easy and free trick to prevent choking hazards in your home.
Dr. Nkeiruka Orajiaka calls it the toilet paper trick. She posted it to TikTok where the video has had more than 43,000 likes.
She said she first heard about this trick several years ago when she was in medical school. She said this trick is important to know because even if a toy appears like it’s not a risk it could have small parts.
“All you have to do is when you get the toy you pass the toys through the toilet paper. The ones that pass through means it’s small enough for a child that age to put in their mouth and swallow and it’s a choke hazard,” she said.
She said other items to be on the lookout for coins, marbles and batteries. Anything that can fit through the tube is a choking hazard.
“The diameter of the choke tube is 1.25 cm and the idea is to match the throat of a child that age,” explained Dr. Orajiaka.
When a child is choking, what do you do?
“It depends on the age,” she said.
Dr. Orajiaka said if a child’s still choking, let them cough. If an infant's color is blue and they are obviously choking, you want to turn them around and give them five back-blows with their face down and then you turn them around again and give five in the abdomen.