A study published in the August 2013 edition of Pediatrics found that an average of 12,435 children per year were treated at hospital emergency departments for choking between 2001 and 2009. 

The foods most commonly associated with choking at hospital visits were: 

• hard candy;
• other types of candy;
• meat; and
• bones. 

And it isn't just edibles that endanger lives. Non-food choking hazards include: 

• balloons;
• small toys;
• crayons;
• coins; and
• other small objects that can block the airway if swallowed.