They do not have enough molar teeth to chew them well and they may not understand that some seeds should be spat out rather than swallowed. The soft foods that most often cause fatal choking are hot dogs, sausages, and grapes. These foods must be chopped up before serving. Warn baby-sitters and older siblings not to share these foods. Choking on a rubber balloon is the leading cause of deaths resulting from choking on objects other than foods.
Most incidents occur when children suddenly inhale a deflated balloon they have been chewing.
Warn your child never to chew or suck on pieces of rubber balloons. Even teenagers have died from this freak accident. Chewing on an inflated balloon is also dangerous because it could burst. Mylar helium balloons are safer, but rubber balloons are fine if they are used with supervision.