Parents are being warned to remain vigilant this Easter weekend over the dangers of Mini Eggs which can pose a choking hazard for small children.

The chocolate treat is not suitable for children under four years old and a number of safety groups have recommended parents always supervise their children aged up to 10 years old when they eat them.

The warning comes following a mother's plea to other parents on Mums Advice.

She said: "You’ve all seen the warnings about cutting up grapes before giving them to your children, a lot of schools even place notes in packed lunches if they are not cut the correct way and the meme of how to prepare grapes is forever shared across social media.

"With Easter, I want to warn you all about another deadly choking hazard, one that tragically took away my child.

"My precious little girl Sophie passed away. She had choked on a Mini Egg and I was unable to dislodged it, even with back slaps and pushing up and under her ribs."

She says her daughter, Sophie, was five and a half years old when she died.

Skills Training Group, the UK's leader in first aid training courses has issued a warning to parents.

After analysing Google searches from the past two years, they have seen a 503 per cent increase at this time of year for searches for children's first aid.

With the excitement of Easter egg hunts and the abundance of chocolate treats, it is vital that parents remain vigilant about the potential choking hazards that these sweets can present.

This not only ensures children's safety but also helps alleviate the strain on the NHS and ambulance services, which are already grappling with long waiting times.

What do if a child is choking

Here is some advice from the NHS:

If you can see the object, try to remove it.

Don't poke blindly or repeatedly with your fingers. You could make things worse by pushing the object further in and making it harder to remove.

If your child's coughing loudly, encourage them to carry on coughing to bring up what they're choking on and don't leave them.

If your child's coughing isn't effective (it's silent or they can't breathe in properly), shout for help immediately and decide whether they're still conscious.

If your child's still conscious, but they're either not coughing or their coughing isn't effective, use back blows.

Back blows for children over 1 year

Lay a small child face down on your lap as you would a baby.

If this isn't possible, support your child in a forward-leaning position and give 5 back blows from behind.

If back blows don't relieve the choking and your baby or child is still conscious, give chest thrusts to infants under 1 year or abdominal thrusts to children over 1 year.

This will create an artificial cough, increasing pressure in the chest and helping to dislodge the object.

Chest thrusts for children under 1 year

Lay your baby face up along the length of your thighs.

Find the breastbone and place 2 fingers in the middle.

Give 5 sharp chest thrusts (pushes), compressing the chest by about a third.

Abdominal thrusts for children over 1 year

Stand or kneel behind your child. Place your arms under the child's arms and around their upper abdomen.

Clench your fist and place it between the navel and ribs.

Grasp this hand with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards.

Repeat up to 5 times.

Make sure you don't apply pressure to the lower ribcage, as this may cause damage.

Following chest or abdominal thrusts, reassess your child as follows:

If the object still isn't dislodged and your child's still conscious, continue the sequence of back blows and either chest or abdominal thrusts.

Call out or send for help, if you're still on your own.

Don't leave the child.

Call 999 if the blockage doesn't come out after trying back blows and either chest or abdominal thrusts. Keep trying this cycle until help arrives.

Even if the object has come out, get medical help.

Prevention Steps for a Safe Easter Celebration

To ensure a fun and secure Easter for your family, please consider the following tips:

  • Supervision: Keep a watchful eye on children as they eat chocolate treats, especially if they are under the age of five. Encourage them to sit down while eating and remind them not to talk or laugh with their mouths full.
  • Age-appropriate treats: Choose age-appropriate chocolate treats for children. For younger children, opt for smaller, softer chocolate items that are easier to chew and swallow. Avoid hard, round, or large-sized chocolates that pose a higher risk of choking.
  • Teach correct chewing: Educate children on the importance of chewing food thoroughly before swallowing. Encourage them to take small bites and to take their time eating.
  • Learn first aid: In the event of a choking emergency, knowing first aid techniques, such as back blows and abdominal thrusts, can save a child's life. Consider taking a certified first aid course to prepare for such situations.
  • Raise awareness: Share this information with friends, family, and the community to ensure a safer Easter celebration for everyone.

By taking these precautionary steps, people can reduce the number of choking incidents during Easter and alleviate the pressure on the NHS and ambulance services.