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Published on: September 11, 2018
Ethnic differences of children with foreign body aspiration: a need for preventive education
Ohad Ronen1, Florencia Kanelo2, Deborah Shor2
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Galilee Medical Center Affiliated with Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Medicine, Safed, Israel. ohadr@gmc.gov.il.
Insights
Foreign body aspiration (FBA) remains a significant risk for young children in Israel, particularly those of Arab ethnicity. Targeted prevention efforts are crucial to reduce these choking hazards.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- Consumer Safety
Background:
- Israel enacted a food product labeling law in 2005 mandating choking hazard warnings.
- Previous data on foreign body aspiration (FBA) prevalence and associated racial disparities in Israel was limited.
- Understanding FBA trends is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the 2005 hazard warning law on FBA rates in children.
- To investigate racial differences in FBA prevalence and mortality.
- To identify high-risk populations for targeted prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for patients under 14 with suspected FBA (2007-2015).
- Data collection included patient demographics, aspirated objects, and witnessed events.
- Population data obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics for prevalence calculations.
Main Results:
- 90 children presented with suspected FBA; 51% were male, mean age 3.5 years.
- Nuts and seeds were the most common aspirated items; parents witnessed all events.
- Arab children (0-4 years) showed significantly higher FBA prevalence (16.6:100,000) vs. non-Arab (6.0:100,000).
Conclusions:
- Foreign body aspiration (FBA) remains a common, preventable injury in the region.
- Higher-risk groups include children under 4 and those of Arab ethnicity.
- National preventive education initiatives are recommended to reduce FBA incidence.
Introduction:
Only in 2005 was a product labeling law passed in Israel that requires food companies to mark a choking hazard. We wished to investigate the influence of the hazard warning on the number of foreign body aspirations (FBA) in Israel, as well as the racial differences in the prevalence of and death rates from FBA.
Materials And Methods:
All the medical records of patients under the age of 14 who arrived at our center's emergency department between the years 2007 and 2015 with suspected FBA were retrospectively reviewed. Population data was extracted from the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Results:
Overall, 90 children arrived at the hospital with suspected FBA during 2007-2015. Forty-six (51%) of the patients were males, the mean age was 3.5 years. Seventy-one bronchoscopies were performed due to high suspicious presence of a foreign body. The most common objects aspirated were different types of nuts and seeds. In all cases, the patient's parents witnessed the aspiration of the foreign body. Most children (77, 86%) were of Arab ethnicity. The yearly prevalence of FBA in children 0-4 years of Arab ethnicity was 16.6:100,000 compared to 6.0:100,000 in the non-Arab population (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
FBA is still a common injury in our region. Since most cases are preventable, efforts should be targeted among the population at higher risk, which are parents of children under the age of 4 and parents of Arab ethnicity. We believe that national effort and support for preventive education are needed.
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