Consumer Safety Alert Issued for Swallowing and Choking Accidents Among Infants and the Elderly

The Korea Fair Trade Commission and Korea Consumer Agency issued a consumer safety alert on May 12, citing the frequent occurrence of swallowing and choking accidents among infants and the elderly. The agencies pointed out that infants are mainly exposed to 'foreign object ingestion' due to curiosity, while the elderly are prone to 'food obstruction' accidents resulting from declining physical abilities. Therefore, customized precautions are necessary for each age group.

According to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS), 67.6% of the 4,113 cases of foreign object ingestion reported over the past five years involved children aged seven and under. In particular, more than half of these accidents among infants involved children aged two and below, who have a strong tendency to put objects in their mouths. The main hazardous items were magnets, toy parts, and coins. Magnets, in particular, can be extremely dangerous; if two or more are swallowed, they can attract each other through internal organs, leading to intestinal perforation.

Magnets, Toy Parts, and Coins Are Major Causes of Swallowing Accidents in Infants... Magnets Can Lead to Intestinal Perforation

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Choking Accidents Among the Elderly Often Involve Rice Cake and Sweet Potato... High-Viscosity Foods Block the Airway

On the other hand, choking accidents caused by food, rather than foreign objects, have proven to be fatal among the elderly. According to data from the National Fire Agency, 91% of deaths from food-related choking over the past five years involved people aged 65 and over. The most common cases occurred when individuals with poor dental health or weakened swallowing muscles ate high-viscosity foods such as rice cakes or sweet potatoes, causing airway obstruction.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission recommends that caregivers of infants securely store small objects such as magnets and batteries separately, and that the elderly cut food into bite-sized pieces and moisten their throats with water before meals to improve eating habits. The commission emphasized, "It is essential for caregivers to closely observe whether food is being chewed and swallowed thoroughly, and to ensure that there are no hazardous objects near young children."

A poster explaining prevention measures for swallowing and choking accidents involving infants and the elderly. Fair Trade Commission.

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