A mum has shared a warning to other parents about Cadbury mini eggs after her five-year-old daughter died from choking on some.
The anonymous mother shared her story on parenting site Mums Advice telling parents to “take note”. She argued that many may have seen warnings about cutting up grapes before giving them to kids, but not everyone is aware of doing the same with these chocolate treats.
“With Easter coming up I want to warn you all about another deadly choking hazard, one that tragically took away my child,” she wrote on 28 February. “It has been just short of three years since my precious little girl, Sophie, passed away after choking on a mini egg and I was unable to dislodge it, even with back slaps and pushing up and under her ribs.”
The mother explained she had done a first aid course six months prior to this event, so all the techniques to help a choking child were “fresh” in her mind.
“It didn’t help,” she wrote. “I watched the light slip away from my babies eyes, I tried in vain to save her.”
She warned parents to keep a close eye on their kids enjoying the treats, to either cut them up, remind them to sit down or avoid eating them altogether.
Commenting on the post, one mum wrote: “My twin girls are 14 now, when they were five one of them choked on a mini egg and for years after I could not let her have them. When I finally did they were cut in half and closely supervised.”
Another wrote: “This happened to my son at around four years old. Fortunately I managed to get it out with the Heimlich manoeuvre as the back slapping wasn’t working.”
A Cadbury’s spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “We were saddened by this tragic event as the safety of our customers is of the upmost importance to us.
“We ensure that all of our Cadbury Mini Eggs packaging very clearly carries the following warning: Choking Hazard: This product is not suitable for children under four.”
How to help a choking child:
If you can see the object, try to remove it. Don’t poke blindly or repeatedly with your fingers. You could make things worse by pushing the object further in and making it harder to remove.
If your child is coughing loudly, there’s no need to do anything. Encourage them to carry on coughing and don’t leave them.
If your child’s coughing is not effective (it’s silent or they can’t breathe in properly), shout for help immediately and decide whether they’re still conscious.
If your child is still conscious, but they’re either not coughing or their coughing is not effective, use back blows.
For more information, visit the NHS Choices website.
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