Easter egg choking hazards: Former paramedic’s warning to parents about the unexpected danger of small solid Easter chocolate for kids

For many, Easter is the perfect time to spend time with loved ones, eat plenty of food and of course feast on plenty and plenty of chocolate.

But for those with young kids, one certain Easter treat can present a big danger.

A former Australian paramedic and mum of three has issued a timely warning ahead of the Easter weekend warning to be careful when it come to feeding chocolate eggs to young children.

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Nikki Jurcutz, the founder of Tiny Hearts Education, recently shared a post to Instagram explaining the small, solid Easter eggs are a choking hazard.

“Mini chocolate eggs might seem perfect for little hands but they’re actually a choking hazard for kids under 4,” she wrote.

This is because the small solid eggs are “small enough to perfectly block a child’s airway”, the solid chocolate is “difficult for little ones to chew safely” and being round and smooth “makes them slippery and hard to dislodge”.

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In place of the small solid eggs, Jurcutz recommends opting for bigger, hollow Easter eggs, which are safer for little ones to eat.

“If your child is under 4 or hasn’t mastered safe chewing and swallowing, skip the small, hard eggs all together,” she says.

“Opt for age-appropriate alternatives like hollow eggs.”

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Hollow eggs are a much better option as they are “too big to be swallowed whole and they crumble easily meaning there’s less risk of them blocking the airway.

Jurcutz also warned of some other Easter treats that could pose a choking hazard. These include marshmallows, large chocolate eggs filled with hard lollies and jellybeans.

Parents in the comment section shared their gratitude for Jurcutz post and their own experiences navigating potential choking hazards.

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“it gives me so much anxiety when I see children eating these,” one commented.

“I think my kids love that I discovered bigger hollow eggs are safer a few years ago,” commented another.

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Jurcutz also pointed out that, “around festive times we see a spike in emergencies involving little ones”.

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She stresses the importance of learning infant first aid to be prepared just in case a choking emergency occurs.

“It could save a life,” Jurcutz writes.

Here is a guide to choking from Tiny Hearts Education

Partial obstruction

If your child has an effective cough, use gravity and lean them forward. Encourage them to keep coughing. If the obstruction cannot be cleared you must call 000. If they lose their forceful cough use the next technique for a complete obstruction.

Complete obstruction

If your child does not have an effective cough you should:

Call 000. Place your child in a head down position – infant (under 1 year old) across your lap and child (1 – 8 years old) sitting or standing up. Give up to five back blows using the heel of one hand, in between the shoulder blades. Short and sharp. Check the airway between each back blow to see if the obstruction has cleared.

If your child is still choking

Give up to five chest thrusts using two fingers (one hand for a child), in the middle of the chest between the nipples. Short and sharp. Check the airway between each chest thrust to see if the obstruction has cleared.

If your child is still choking

Alternate between five back blows and five chest thrusts until the obstruction is cleared (checking the airway to see if it has cleared in between each back blow or chest thrust), paramedics arrive, or until they render unconscious. If they render unconscious you must start CPR.

Note: The obstruction may clear during CPR compressions. If this occurs roll your child on their side and clear the mouth of the foreign object.

The information in this article should not be construed as medical advice. Please always consult your doctor or other medical professional for advice specific to you.

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