13 August 2023 , 13:45
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Ex- paramedic and toddler health advocate, has warned against giving children this sweet treat as it poses a serious choking hazard.
Nikki Jurcutz, a parent and CEO of Tiny Hearts, which advocates for infant CPR awareness has said marshmallows are high risk choking food for children. This is because the little sweet treats are sticky and harder for children under five to break down. If a marshmallow gets stuck in a child’s airways, it is near impossible to remove it with back blows.
Nikki shared a visual of this in a in a TikTok video, showcasing how a stuck grape can be dislodged from the airway but a marshmallow can’t. She said: “When they’re wet, they become more sticky and more difficult to swallow and can be more difficult to remove from the airway.
“You can modify marshmallows to make them safer by cutting them into smaller pieces or swap them out for mini marshmallows instead. Modifying foods is a great way to make foods safer for your little one.”
"Oh my God, I've been giving my three-year-old marshmallows," one mum commented on Nikki's video. "Not anymore - thank you for this information." One said: "I've never heard about this. My daughter is four and was just eating marshmallows. I’m throwing them away now."
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A child dies in the UK every month from choking and hundreds more require hospital treatment, according to . It can happen quickly and it can happen to anyone.
You can reduce the risk of choking by removing any stones or pips from fruit before serving and cutting small round foods lengthways into batons. Similarly, you should remove any bones from meat and fish. Experts recommend never giving whole nuts or seeds to children under five years old.