Pediatricians Urge FDA To Require Warning Labels On Food Deemed Dangerous to Small Children
Due to its ability to become lodged in their throats, many small children are at risk of death or severe injury because of the food they eat. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics is requesting that the FDA require choking hazard labels be placed on certain foods.
At the same time, the academy is urging manufacturers to redesign some of the most dangerous foods, the New York Times Reports. Citing 2001 emergency room statistics, which showed that food caused approximately 60 percent of choking episodes in children 14 and younger, the Academy aptly points out the seriousness of this issue.
With those statistics in hand, Dr. Gary Smith, the lead author of the pediatricians' policy statement on food hazards, pointed out the disparity in regulation of childrens' toys and their food. “You have a SuperBall that by government regulation has to carry warnings telling people it’s a risk to young children and you can’t market it to them, yet you can have the same identical shape and size gumball and there are no restrictions or requirements,” he said.
The attorneys of Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones represent families whose children have been harmed by the unknown dangers of food products. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Shawn Cantley directly by clicking here: profile.
For the full text of the New York Times article, click here.
For another New York Times article on the top 10 choking hazards faced by small children, click here.
