Paramedic issues Easter warning to all Aussies – and the surprising treats she urges all parents to steer clear of

A former paramedic has revealed Easter treats that pose a choking risk to young children.

Tiny Hearts Educationrun by mum Nikki Jurcutz, who was a paramedic for eight years, posted a potentially life-saving guide for parents to inform them of the dangers of some Easter treats such as hot cross buns with raisins.

Mini Easter eggs, hot cross buns, marshmallows and eggs with nuts in them were on the no-go list, while large hollow eggs and bunnies were considered a safe treat.

Foods with a sticky consistency are risky because they are harder for children to swallow, can get stuck in the throat, and are harder to dislodge if they do start to choke.

Sultanas in hot cross buns are a choking hazard, and soft bread can soften and stick together, forming a sticky lump in the mouth.

Sultanas in hot cross buns pose a choking hazard to young children and soft bread can soften and stick together forming a sticky lump in the mouth

Instead, Nikki said to choose sandwiches without small dried fruit and recommended toasting them if serving to small children as this makes them easier to chew.

‘Dried fruit such as raisins pose a choking hazard because they are quite hard and difficult to chew. You can help reduce the risk by softening the raisins by soaking them in hot water,” Nikki explains.

‘They are safer to offer if your child has molars and you are confident in their chewing and swallowing ability.’

Easter marshmallows have a sticky consistency in the mouth and can block the airways due to their shape and size.

Nikki said children under four should not be given marshmallows, but parents should still be careful with older children because choking can happen at any age.

The shape and size of mini Easter eggs can block the airways and make it difficult for young children to break down. Big Eater eggs are safe because they can be crushed and broken into small pieces

“Also depends on the individual child and their chewing and swallowing ability,” she said.

Mini Easter eggs, including speckled eggs and mini Easter eggs wrapped in foil, have a shape and size that can also easily block the airways and are hard, making them difficult for young children to break down.

Similarly, eggs with nuts should be avoided as they are hard and ‘incompressible’ and whole nuts can get stuck in the airways.

Cadbury Creme eggs can be crushed and broken into pieces, but the sticky texture of the filling inside can be dangerous.

Hollow large eggs and Easter bunnies were given the green light by Nikki because they are easy to crush and can be broken into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Cadbury Creme eggs can be crushed and broken into pieces, but the sticky texture of the filling inside can be dangerous

Parents were grateful for the advice.

‘We’ve already told our older kids who “know” that there will be no solid mini eggs this year, just hollow eggs and bunnies to keep their two-year-old brother safe!’ said a mother.

‘Our 16-month-old son hasn’t had any sweets yet and I’m thinking about giving her something for Easter. The hollow chocolate is the only thing I’ve really thought about because everything else seems a bit scary to me and this confirms my instincts!’ another wrote.

“So what you’re really saying is that as parents we should eat Easter treats for our children… For their safety of course,” a third joked.