While growing up, I remember going to the pantry and eating that powdered milk with a spoon. And many times that powdered milk would go the wrong way causing me to cough and feel choked. I have to drink water in a hurry to be relieved. And still I do it over again, because for me it is the perfect snack in the afternoon.
For some kids, it would be that powdered chocolate drink. But just like that powdered milk, eating powdered chocolate drink without reconstituting it with water could lead a child to choke and cough as the powder goes to the airway.
Recently a 4 year old boy climbed into their pantry, found a can of ground cinnamon and ate it. His mother, Brianna Rader, recalled, " "He started choking. It was like he was having a seizure and just collapsed,". He was then rushed to the hospital and after 90 minutes he died.
Coroner ruled out that his death is caused by cinnamon asphyxiation or choking.
It seemed to be, that eating foods in powdered form can cause the person eating to inhale it, block the airways, and settle in the lungs. While powdered milk and powdered chocolate drinks are a little bit milder, spices such as chili powders, black peppers, and mustard powder are spices, and particularly cinnamon- contains cellulose that don't easily break down easily. If taken in powdered form it can irritate the throat and cause lungs to collapse once inhaled. It can also trigger asthma and mucus membranes to swell, and worse death just like these kids. Other sources: Smithsonian.com
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