Paramedic mum issues grim warning to parents over giving kids ice cubes

18 February 2024 , 13:45

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A medical expert is warning that parents should stop giving their children ice cubes; it could be a health hazard (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/PhotoAlto)

The early days of parenthood are not easy and there's a lot of trial and error involved.

If your little one is keeping you up all night, you may be sleep-deprived and struggling, looking for what seems like the simplest solution to issues you may face - and a big issue for babies is teething.

Ice cubes are known to help teething babies - they seem like a good idea to soothe pain or help them cool down on a hot day - but a health expert is warning that this could be a serious hazard as the slippery blocks could get stuck in a child's throat and block their airways. The misconception is that ice will melt quickly in a child's mouth so therefore it is safe, but it also takes seconds for a child to potentially choke, warns an expert.

Owner of Tiny Hearts Foundation and former paramedic Nikki Jurcutz took to social media recently, where she boasts 513,000 followers, to explain how easy it is for young children to choke on an ice cube. She explained: "I don't recommend giving ice cubes to children under four. Ice cubes have the qualities that make something a high risk for choking. It's slippery, it can be round in shape, it can get stuck inside the mouth."

Nikki continued: "I've had parents ask me whether it's safe for children since it will melt anyway if they do choke on it. But, what I always tell these parents is to think about how long it would take for an ice cube to melt if they held it in their mouth. That's how long a child choking on an ice cube would have to go without oxygen if we just waited for it to melt.

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"I wouldn't be waiting for the ice to melt, I would be starting choking first aid at the first signs of a choking child. Have you heard of ice being a choking risk before?"

A spokesperson for BabyCenter said children under age four should not consume ice cubes. They added: "Though it may seem like a good idea to let your baby suck on a piece of ice to ease teething pain or cool down on a hot day, ice cubes are a choking hazard. They're slippery and just the right size to get stuck in a child's throat.

"And if the ice cube has sharp edges, it can cut the inside of your child's mouth. Ice can also stick to the tongue and insides of the mouth, causing a lot of discomfort. Ice doesn't melt as fast as you might think."

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Lucy Marshall