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Aussie paramedic's warning about 'risky' Easter eggs for young kids

By Heidi Krause|

Easter is a wonderful occasion to spend time with the family and feast on lots of chocolate.

However, an Australian paramedic and mum of two has issued a timely warning to be careful when it comes to feeding Easter eggs to young children.

Nikki, who runs Tiny Hearts Education, posted a video to Instagram to illustrate that small, solid eggs are in fact a choking hazard.

"Avoid mini solid eggs this Easter. They are round and hard which are two big risk factors for choking."

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Timely warning for parents ahead of Easter
Timely warning for parents ahead of Easter (Instagram @Tiny Hearts Education)

Parents thanked Nikki for the valuable advice, tagging friends and family in the post.

"I stupidly didn't even think about them being solid. Thank you," said one. "I just read a story on a five-year-old girl who choked on one and her mum couldn't save her," said another.

Previously, Nikki shared a photo to Instagram to highlight the same danger.

"Up to 85 per cent of choking deaths are caused by food and with Easter around the corner I want this to be at the forefront of your mind," she wrote in the caption. "Many of the Easter eggs we see on the shelves are real choking hazards. When purchasing please choose larger, hollow eggs broken into small pieces as they are less of a choking hazard."

Nikki also went on to remind her followers the importance of supervising young kids while they are eating.

"Choking is silent, it happens quickly and knowing exactly what to do in a choking emergency is the difference between a scare and a life-changing moment," she said.

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Aussie paramedic's warning about dangers of small solid Easter eggs
Aussie paramedic's warning about dangers of small solid Easter eggs (Instagram)

Responses flowed in, with hundreds of parents grateful for the warning and being unaware of the potential danger.

"I just sent all the grandparents and aunties/uncles a message last week asking for NO small solid eggs for our 19mo. Large hollow eggs and bunnies only," wrote one."I'd never thought of that with eggs before! Thank you!", said another.

"Scary! Never thought of this...", agreed another mum.

Nikki also shared a simple trick to help parents determine if an object is a choking hazard for children aged zero to three.

"This is how I check to see if food or small items may potentially be a choking hazard for my bubs," the mum captioned the video on the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page, making a circle with her index finger and thumb.

"The circle is approx. the size of a child's airway aged zero-three. If anything can fit in this hole, then it's a choking hazard."

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 จC infant (under 1 year old) across your lap and child (1 จC 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.

Photo: Choking Treatment for Infants. Tiny Hearts Education.

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.

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