Aspiration of fruit gel snacks.
Aspiration of a foreign body is common in children and can cause upper airway obstruction, leading to significant morbidity or mortality. We report 3 cases of aspiration of a popular fruit-flavored gel snack that led to cardiopulmonary arrest and death in 1 case and respiratory failure in 2 other cases. There is increasing concern about the safety of this gel snack and its risk of aspiration, even in older children. Pediatricians should advise parents and children about the dangers of eating this candy during their health maintenance visits.
Qureshi
Sonea
S
Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509, USA. soneaq@worldnet.att.net
Mink
Richard
R
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D002182:Candy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D001239:Inhalation; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000209:etiology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration