What is small enough to be considered a choking hazard?
It may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to Christmas presents for your little one but it is something important to consider.
Babies and toddlers are curious, they explore with all of their senses including their mouths and the festive season brings many new things to discover.
While we’re all very cautious of what our little ones get into, sometimes it’s not the tiny things that could be a choking hazard.
Dr. Niamh Lynch has reminded her followers of the ‘toilet roll test’ which can help you decide whether a toy could be dangerous for your child.
Speaking on Instagram, the mum of two said: “Christmas is coming! Santa and the elves have asked me to pass a message on to parents and guardians and that is the toilet roll test.”
In the clip, Dr. Lynch could be seen holding up a leftover toilet roll tube, an easy piece of equipment for her method.
“So the diameter of a toilet roll is about the same diameter that a child can open their mouth and swallow an object and for that object to be small enough to go either into their food pipe or windpipe therefore causing a choking hazard,” she explained.
“As a general rule, if it’s small enough to fit through the toilet roll, it’s small enough to be swallowed.”
The doctor added that this rule applies to children under three and older children who are likely to put items in their mouths.
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