You might not think twice about giving your tot the chocolatey treat for the holiday.
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But beware – there are some types of Easter eggs that could be unsafe for your child to eat, one expert has warned.
According to Australian paramedic and first aider Nikki Jurcutz – you might want to think twice about the size of egg you buy.
Nikki is the expert behind the Instagram page for parents Tiny Hearts Education and explained that eating mini Easter eggs could put your child at risk of choking.
This is because they are “hard and round – two massive risk factors for a choking hazard”, the first aider cautioned.
She unwrapped a mini chocolate egg, rolled it around and pressed it hard with her thumb to show how solid it was.
“They’re also the perfect shape and size to block off a child’s airway,” Nikki added.
She demonstrated this by using a little plastic pipe to mimic a child’s windpipe – the small, round egg fit against the top perfectly and blocked the opening entirely.
Nikki recommended that parents swap out mini eggs for larger, hollow eggs instead.
They crumble easily, she wrote, breaking it apart in her hands.
And they’re ‘safer for your little one to eat this Easter’ as – if your child does accidentally swallow a piece – it won’t block off their airway.
Nikki showed how a small piece of chocolate from a hollow egg didn’t sit on top of the opening of the pipe in the same way.
Moral of the story – as cute as mini Easter eggs are, swap them out for hollow ones to minimise choking hazards for your child.
Signs your child is choking
There are a few signs to look out for to tell if your child is choking.
According to St John Ambulance, they may:
- have difficulty breathing, speaking or coughing
- have a red puffy face
- show signs of distress and they may point to their throat or grasp their neck
For a baby, the signs the may be choking are slightly different.
A choking baby may:
- be unable to breathe, cry, or cough
- have a red puffy face
- show signs of distress
Babies and young children are always at risk of choking because their airways are smaller, and they haven’t mastered chewing and swallowing properly, first aiders say.
They have recommended that you always supervise your baby or young child when eating to make sure they are chewing and swallowing correctly.
Nikki previously outlined other foods that are choking hazards for children, including:
- nuts
- sausages and hot dogs
- popcorn
- marshmallows
- large fruit
In a separate video she warned parents to never slice hot dogs into coin shapes when feeding them to their kids.
What to do if your child chokes
It’s a parents worst nightmare to imagine a situation in which they have to save their child from choking.
But in that moment, it may be you who will have to step up and perform first aid.
The NHS says if you can see an object lodged in your child’s mouth, take care to remove it – because blindly poking at it could make things worse.
If the child is coughing, encourage them to continue as they may be able to bring the object up. Don’t leave them.
If the coughing isn’t effective (if it is silent or they cannot breathe properly), shout for help immediately.
If the child is still conscious, use back blows.
First aiders at St John Ambulance give the following advice based on the child’s age.
Baby
- Slap it out:
- Lay the baby face down along your thigh and support their head and neck
- Give five back blows between their shoulder blades with the heel of your hand
- Turn them over and check their mouth each time
2. Squeeze it out:
- Turn the baby over, face upwards, supported along your thigh, make sure their head and neck is still supported
- Put two fingers in the centre of their chest just below the nipple line; push downwards to give up to five sharp chest thrusts
- Check the mouth each time
3. If the item does not dislodge, call 999 or 112 for emergency help
- Take the baby with you to call
- Repeat the steps 1 and 2 until help arrives
- Start CPR if the baby becomes unresponsive (unconscious)
Child
1. Cough it out
- Encourage the casualty to keep coughing, if they can
2. Slap it out
- Lean them forwards, supporting them with one hand
- Give five sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
- Check their mouth each time but do not put your fingers in their mouth
3. Squeeze it out
- Stand behind them with your arms around their waist, with one clenched fist between their belly button and the bottom of their chest
- Grasp the fist in the other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, giving up to five abdominal thrusts
- Check their mouth each time
4. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help if the object does not dislodge
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until help arrives and start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive (unconscious).
In the event of an emergency, always call 999. If you’re unsure on how to perform CPR on a child or baby then help is available through St John Ambulance.