When Can Kids Have Hot Dogs?

Choking Risk

• Young children dining on hot dogs risk choking and suffocation on the tube meat. The New York State Department of Health reports that choking ranks as the fourth leading cause of unintentional death for children under age 5, and children under age 5 are at the highest risk for choking injuries. The department notes that one American child dies every five days from food-related choking. Approximately 10,000 kids arrive annually at U.S. emergency rooms experiencing choking problems.

"Dangerously Tasty Treat"

• The construction of the hot dog is what leads to the choking risk. Johns Hopkins Children's Center calls hot dogs a "dangerously tasty treat" due to the size of the dog and the dense material used to make it. The consistency and the tube construction can block the airway when the child inhales a partially mashed or unchewed food. The American Academy of Pediatricians has urged producers to place warning labels on hot dog packages since 2010 due to the high number of children experiencing choking incidents annually.

Hot Dog Preparation

• There's no need to avoid hot dogs entirely before children reach the age of 4, as long as the hot dog has been treated with some special adult preparation. FoodSafety.gov recommends preparing hot dogs for younger children by removing the casing and mincing the meat with a sharp knife into small chewable bits. Serve this minced mixture in a bun with the same condiments as a traditional dog, so young diners have the same taste experience as adults or older brothers and sisters during the meal. Some parents put the hot dog into a food processor for easier preparation, and some grind it into a spread to use on the bun to avoid any chance of choking.

Allergies and Preservatives

• Commercially prepared hot dogs frequently contain preservatives that can create problems for young children. Sodium nitrate and nitrite and sodium benzoate allow companies to package hot dogs for longer shelf life in the supermarket and in your refrigerator, but medical researchers question exposing children to these additives, according to the American Nutrition Association. Researchers at Duke University report a link between hot dogs and cancer due to cell damage done by nitrosamines created by the combination of the meat and the nitrate and nitrite preservatives. The researchers encourage parents to avoid serving hot dogs to children at any age.