An ex-paramedic has shared a five-second 'hack' to help parents identify potential choking hazards in their homes, using nothing more than a toilet roll. The advice was posted on the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page, which has one million followers, and demonstrates how any object that fits through the roll could also fit into a child's mouth.
The Toilet Roll Test
In the clip, the ex-paramedic places a die through a toilet roll, showing that it fits completely. They then show a slightly larger item, such as a Bluey toy, which cannot fit all the way through. Other small items, like a Spider-Man figurine, can also pass through the roll.
The caption read: "Use a toilet roll to help you identify potential choking hazards in your home. Anything that fits inside the toilet roll could also fit into a child's mouth and could pose a choking risk. Follow along for more first aid tips from an ex-paramedic."
Why Children Are at Risk
According to statistics from St John Ambulance, choking causes around 300 deaths every year in England, with thousands more non-fatal incidents requiring emergency care. A child's airways are small and narrow, and younger children are still learning to chew, swallow and breathe at the same time. Toddlers naturally explore the world by putting small objects into their mouths.
Parents may be on high alert from the moment they introduce their baby to solids. While gagging is a normal reflex among babies who start weaning, choking on food is dangerous. As children get older and begin to explore, it is common for them to put small objects into their mouths. Distractions while eating, such as running, walking, talking or playing, can also lead to choking, as can stuffing too much food into the mouth at once or trying to swallow large bites without chewing.
What to Do if a Child Is Choking
The NHS states that if a child can breathe or make noise, encourage them to cough. Act immediately if their breathing is blocked. Do not leave the child, and remove any obvious items from their mouth if you can easily see them, but do not poke blindly with your fingers. If back blows or thrusts do not clear the blockage, or if the child becomes unresponsive or unconscious, call 999 immediately. Advice on choking can differ for a baby under one year and for a child over that age, so it is important to follow the correct guidelines.
