Lauren Eliza, a mortician, and mother, has seen it all when it comes to causes of death. However, the TikTokker from the United States claims that seeing the children who died cause of avoidable situations has left her “scarred.”
One relatively harmless culprit was popcorn. Lauren described it as “one of the quickest ways to get a trip in an ambulance,” adding that it is one of a long list of “deadly” snacks she will not allow her children to touch.
“Those small kernels that get stuck in your teeth are so light and readily pulled back into your throat that you may aspirate or choke,” she warned in one video. Although it is important to keep an eye on small kids when they are eating, Lauren stated that it is tough to intervene if a child has breathed in a fine husk or an irregularly shaped bit of popcorn.
“Regardless of how closely you watch your children, they may still choke on popcorn whether you are present or not,” she explained. “And the scariest part is that you can’t get it out, even if you take away all the kernels [from the dish they’re eating].”
According to Tiny Hearts Education, a group committed to raising first aid awareness and understanding among parents, popcorn is one of the most dangerous snacks for young children. Children under the age of five are not recommended to eat the snack in Australia.
Tiny Hearts reports that it is one of the most prevalent foods that Australian children choke on. Lauren relates the danger to the dry texture and irregular form of popcorn. Because of these variables, a piece of popcorn can easily become stuck in a child’s throat.
Even adults are prone. One user shared a scary incident from her husband’s college days. “My husband had a friend in college who suffocated to death while eating popcorn while laying down.” “Do not eat when lying down,” they wrote.
