Well, it seems like the American Academy of Pediatrics is taking aim at a killer. No, not H1N1 (what happened to that by the way), not the measles, not even drinking milk and driving big wheels. No, they apparently feel that the all-American hot dog is a great choking risk for little ones. Now, I think we’ve all had 1 or 2 (or 12,122) hot dogs in our lifetimes, yes. Truly, how many people, God forbid, have died from choking on one. They may not be that great, leading to perhaps a gag reflex and spit release, but it’s not really that tough to work with. They’re relatively narrow and soft, you would think this would be perfect for kids.
According to Long Island Business News (LIBN), about 12, yes 12, people die a year from choking on the things. That’s only 17% of the total amount of people dying in America from choking on food, a staggeringly low 70 people. That’s 70 in a country of well over 300 MILLION. I mean, c’mon people, let’s stop fretting over everything, even things so minute it shouldn’t really even be an afterthought, let alone a “cause.” Let’s try to lighten up a bit. Watch your kids when they eat one, tell them to take small bites and chew it all up. Lather on a lot of mustard (no ketchup please) and let the thing slide right down. Maybe one day they’ll get to have one at a ballgame, a family BBQ, or even Coney Island. It’s America, and I think they’ll be fine.
From the LIBN article:
At the very least, I’d like to see pediatricians worry about some of the other dangers of childhood, including Cooties, putting an eye out and breaking your mother’s back by stepping on a crack.
