A top Irish doctor has appealed to parents to avoid one hazardous treat this Easter when feeding their toddlers.
Taking to her TikTok account, Paediatrician and neurologist Dr Niamh Lynch warned people that the treat is a deadly choking hazard for young children.
She said: "It's Mini Eggs season. These things are delicious, they are also rock hard, and they can completely block your toddler's airway and here's why.
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"Your toddler's airway, their trachea, is about 4mm in diameter. So about the width of this biro here, and if you look at the size and shape of a mini egg, you can see that it is the perfect size and shape to completely block your child's airway.
"These things are a major choking hazard, and we are really careful with grapes and cherry tomatoes, and we cut them up small, but these things are so cute and so delicious, and we get so excited about them that we sometimes forget that they can be deadly.
"So please don't give these types of sweets to children under the age of five."
In a separate video, Dr Lynch warned parents of other foods that should be avoided to limit the risk of your child choking.
She listed seven deadly things, which included whole grapes, popcorn, sausages, nuts, hard sweets, hot dogs and gum.
Dr Lynch said: "Please avoid popcorn, gum and hard sweets entirely.
"Use nut butters (as long as the child has no allergies). Cut meat and grapes carefully, and don't take your eyes off them for a second when eating these foods."
She also explained how to teach your child to deal with hard to manage food while under supervision.
Dr Lynch recommended that three simple rules should be followed to eat popcorn safely for children and adults.
These included:
- Never eating popcorn under the age of 5
- Always eat sitting down with no distractions
- Only consuming one piece at a time
People took to the comments to share their thoughts on the advice as well as sharing other potential food choking hazards for young children.
One woman wrote: “Don't forget raisins. My other half had our 2 year old [and] took his eyes off of her and she shoved one so far up her nose we had to take her to the hospital.”
A second added: “Raw carrots are another major risk. Many parents give them thinking they are the healthier option but very dangerous."
Another person wrote: “Lollipops are another one. And it really annoys me that in restaurants etc they're offered to kids with the bill.”
READ MORE: Top Irish doctor warns parents of eight deadly food choking hazards for toddlers
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