Release: (Embargoed until April 29, 1999)
Contact: Kenneth Satterfield (Until 4/22/99 703-519-1563;
4/23 - 4/29 760-776-8503) [email protected]

CHILDREN ARE AT-RISK FROM A VARIETY OF FOODS SERVED IN DAY-CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS

A new study reveals that meals served to young children outside the home can lead to choking and other breathing problems.

Every day working parents leave their preschool children at day-care centers and other similar programs. The centers offer supervised play time, a nap period, lessons in socialization, and a mid-day meal. What many parents do not realize is that the food served to children at lunch may include items that could be hazardous, resulting in a choking injury.

The research effort was carried out by a team led by J.S. Reilly MD, Professor of Otolaryngology at the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. The findings were presented on April 29 at a meeting of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology being held April 28-30, at the Marriott's Desert Springs, Palm Desert, CA.

Methodology: This research was a retrospective study of foods, over a seven year period, requiring surgical removal. The research team identified 3,843 children under age 18 who received treatment for ingestion/aspiration at 23 children's or tertiary care university hospitals.

Results: One thousand and fifty seven incidents of injury related to food were identified. Specific findings include:

* Children age four and under constituted 78 percent of the subjects in this study.

* The most common injury producing foods were nuts (406), small pieces of meat (93), sunflower seeds (66), chicken parts (54), popcorn (44), hot dogs (41), fish bone (34), candy (34) and apples (31).

* There were no fatalities reported.

* The study found that foods accounted for 28 percent ingestion-related injuries in this pediatric population. Solid, hard foods pose the greatest risk, particularly nuts and seeds (accountable for 44 percent of all injuries); carrots, hot dogs, apples, and popcorn also can be hazardous.

The research findings recommend that parents select day-care facilities that offer foods with appropriate nutritional value but with minimal ingestion risks.

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Contact Ken Satterfield at 703-519-1563 (until 4/22) or 760-776-8503 (4/22-4/29) for an interview with Dr. Reilly or additional information.