What's the difference between gagging and choking?

This page belongs to collection of short articles and videos in plain language, called Little people + food. The Possums approach aims to make introducing solids and toddler foods a lot easier than you might hear!

Do you wonder what you’d do if your baby choked while eating solids? Is gagging a sign that baby shouldn’t be given a particular food?

As a parent, you are naturally very protective of your little one. But often we worry unnecessarily about gagging when our baby is learning to eat solids. At the same time, we need to know what foods should be avoided, and also what to do if your baby really does choke.

Here are some things to remember.

• Always be close by to watch your baby when he is eating solid foods

• Gagging is the normal way your baby protects her airways when learning how to eat solids

• Don’t give your baby hard small foods that could block off the airway, like peanuts, round slices of salami or sausage, or grapes

Acknowledgements

I'm grateful to Professor Sophie Havighurst, Ros June, and Caroline Ma at Mindful, The University of Melbourne, for their feedback on the articles and videos in Little people + food (brief & simple). They helped me keep the language plain and the concepts as accessible as possible.

Recommended resources

Click here for a video is by St John’s Ambulance, which shows you what to do if your baby is choking. Many parents also like to attend a Baby First Aid class, which includes teaching them what to do if their baby chokes.